Qantas is set to make a number of changes on its Perth-Singapore route later this month that will see the service temporarily upgauged to a larger aircraft but also reduced from a twice-daily operation to just once per day.
Beginning July 22 this year, the airline will be switching from the route’s current Boeing 737 aircraft to the larger Airbus A330-200 on its daily QF72/QF71 flights between Perth and Singapore.
The good news, particularly for business travellers, is that not only does the A330-200 have more business class seats than the B737, but it also features the airline’s Business Suite product – a definite upgrade from the older business class offering on board the smaller aircraft.
Rather than the B737’s 12 seats, which are configured in a 2-2 formation, the A330-200 has either 27 or 28 seats – depending on the aircraft’s overall configuration – that are set up in a 1-2-1 layout, meaning direct aisle access for all passengers.
These seats are also notably more private, with dividers and side tables separating them from one another.
The bad news, however, is that from July 22 onwards travellers will only have one daily flight to choose from on Qantas’s Perth-Singapore route as opposed to its current two per day. This comes just a few months after it boosted the route to a double daily service back in April this year. Travellers booked on flights that won’t be continuing after this date will be rebooked onto alternate services.
Meanwhile, the airline is also set to fly some of its Sydney-Perth flights using its B747 aircraft, replacing the A330 that currently flies the route.
The changes follow Qantas’ recent announcement that it will be adding a third, thrice-weekly A330 service on its Sydney-Singapore route from December 14 this year, along with an additional Thursday service on its currently five-times-weekly Sydney-Jakarta service from December 13.
The changes comes as Qantas undergoes what it says its one of its largest pilot training programmes in its history, driven by the airline’s order of 14 B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
According to a spokesperson for the airline, the changes are expected to remain in effect for the remainder of the southern winter season.
