Australian flag carrier, Qantas have announced that they will be flying the Airbus A380 between Sydney and Johannesburg, the first time the carrier has flown the Superjumbo to Africa.
The Qantas A380 has capacity for 480 passengers, and will reintroduce the hugely popular Qantas First Class to the Sydney to Johannesburg route for the first time since 2018. First class will feature fourteen individual suites that will can be converted into a 212-centimeter bed, in a 1-1-1 configuration and will grant passengers to the upper deck lounge, complete with self continued booths, a self-service bar, and the option to order signature drinks and snacks.
Meanwhile, Quantas have also announced a codeshare with Johannesburg based carrier, Airlink. The codeshare will allow passengers to fly to other South African destinations, such as Cape Town, Durban and Hoedspruit, as well plans to fly to other countries in southern Africa, pending approval.
Quantas International CEO Cam Wallace stated:
“We are seeing strong demand for our Johannesburg services and, by upgrading to the Superjumbo, we will nearly double capacity during peak periods, adding over 130,000 seats per year between the continents.
Qantas has a rich history of flying to South Africa over the past 72 years, having operated Constellations and Super Constellations, Electras, 707s, 747s, Dreamliners and now the A380.
The A380 is a favourite among our frequent flyers and it will be great to see the Flying Kangaroo in the land of the springbok.
This extra capacity, combined with our new codeshare with Airlink, will significantly expand the options for Qantas customers heading to Africa, strengthening the connections between family and friends, business and trade as well as supporting the tourism industry on both sides of the Indian Ocean.”
Fares and booking A380 flights between Sydney and Johannesburg are currently available for sale, and the partnership with the airlink due to start by the end of October 2024.
Qantas and South Africa
The first Qantas to South Africa took place in 1948 with the Lancastrian Survey Flight flying from Sydney to Johannesburg, via Perth, the Cocos Islands, and Mauritius. The first passenger flight took place in 1952, on a Lockheed Constellation L-749a and took 66 hours to complete.
Qantas state it will be the first time an A380 will fly across the Indian Ocean.
The carrier has also announced that they also intend to fly a Perth to Johannesburg route by the end of 2025, and subject to the relevant clearance and border security requirements.
