Following the success of its Perth to Rome route, Qantas has introduced a new, unprecedented gateway for Australian travellers: Perth to Paris. This marks the first time in over 20 years that Australia’s national carrier is flying from Perth to France, just in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, and it is the first airline to offer this direct route from the mainland.
Qantas officially commenced flights from Perth over the Indian Ocean to France on Friday night and again on Sunday, resuming direct service to Paris after discontinuing flights via Singapore back in 2004.
With the airline expanding its long-haul, point-to-point travel options into Europe, this 17-hour and 20-minute journey is expected to be popular among Australians looking for a direct path into the lucrative Euro-summer season.
Speaking ahead of the airline’s second flight to the French capital, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson emphasized the importance of the Perth to Paris route for both the airline and the state of Western Australia.
“Perth is an incredibly important hub for us,” Hudson said, highlighting that in the coming years, Perth is set to become the second largest air hub in the country, behind Sydney.
“After 20 years of not being in Paris, we are delighted to be back servicing France. This is the first time we will serve France from the Australian mainland. Passengers will save three hours of travel time compared to other routes to Paris. Perth to London has been incredibly successful for us, and Perth to Rome is doing very well. We are very excited about what Perth to Paris will unlock.”
The route, slightly shorter than the Perth to London path, ranks as the sixth longest commercial flight globally and is marginally longer than the carrier’s direct route to Rome, launched two years ago. Utilizing Boeing 787 Dreamliners, these routes to Rome and Paris set the stage for Qantas’s next major venture: Project Sunrise in 2026, which aims to offer non-stop flights of around 22 hours from Australia’s east coast to London and New York.
Ms. Hudson mentioned that with more long-range Dreamliners joining the fleet, routes like Paris and Rome are just the beginning. “I would like to see us in more direct ports to the US,” she told news.com.au. “With the new aircraft coming, we could potentially reach Chicago, southern parts of the US, and northern parts of South America. We will be ambitious in deploying our aircraft where there is demand.”
