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Qantas is sending its Dreamliner to Hong Kong

24 Jul 2018 by Craig Bright
Qantas Dreamliner - Quokka aircraft

Hong Kong is set to be the fifth international destination served by Qantas’s newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, starting this December with selected flights on the airline’s Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney routes to and from Hong Kong all seeing the aircraft at some point.

From December 13, 2018 until March 29, 2019 the Dreamliner will operate Qantas’s Melbourne-Hong Kong route, with Brisbane-Hong Kong following shortly after from December 19 onwards. Sydney-Hong Kong will be the last of the three routes to get the aircraft starting March 30 next year.  

The Dreamliner won’t be taking over all flights on these routes during these periods, however, and will be joined by Qantas’s Airbus A380 superjumbo as well as its A330-300 and A330-200 aircraft.  

Qantas currently flies daily (QF29/QF30) between Melbourne and Hong Kong and the Dreamliner is set to take over five of these flights starting December 13, with this increasing to six per day between January 28 and March 29, 2019. The A330 will continue to operate the other flights.  

The daily Brisbane-Hong Kong route, meanwhile, will see the Dreamliner one day per week until January 30, 2019 when this will be increased to two days per week. The A330 similarly will operate the remaining flights.

Qantas’s double-daily Sydney-Hong Kong route (QF127/128 and QF117/118) is set to see the most changes, however. Starting March 30 next year, the Dreamliner will fly six days per week, however Qantas is also bringing forward the peak season upgrade of one of its two daily flights from a Boeing 747 to an A380 to early December. The superjumbo will therefore fly once per day between Sydney and Hong Kong until the end of March next year, with the A330 operating all other services on the route. 

But what exactly does the Dreamliner deployment mean for passengers?

For starters, travellers flying these routes will have access to Qantas’s newest Dreamliner seat products in business class, premium economy and economy.

Qantas business class on the B787-9 Dreamliner

Business Traveller reviewed Qantas’s new Dreamliner business class product and service in March when the aircraft began flying non-stop between Perth and London.

Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner premium economy

For the Melbourne and Brisbane routes, meanwhile, the partial upgauge to the Dreamliner means premium economy will be an available travel class during these periods – something the A330s that currently fly the routes don’t offer.

“Introducing the Dreamliner to Hong Kong reinforces our commitment to Asia, where we are seeing strong demand from premium travellers,” said Qantas International CEO, Alison Webster.

“The customer response to the Dreamliner has been overwhelmingly positive. Feedback on the cabin environment, from the seats to the anti-jetlag measures, is fantastic. It’s an aircraft people really enjoy flying on.”

The Dreamliner upgauge also bodes well for travellers going via Hong Kong when flying between Australia and France. Last week, Qantas and Air France began codesharing on all flights through Hong Kong and Singapore.

Qantas has scheduled the Hong Kong route changes to coincide with the delivery of its eighth Dreamliner, which it already flies on routes between Australia and Los Angeles, New York, London and San Francisco. Tickets are already available for booking.

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