Australian carrier Qantas will fly a series of “Scenic Getaway Flights”, following the success of its “flight to nowhere” earlier this month.
This time, however, the trips will be “flights to somewhere” as more domestic borders are now open.
“We were overwhelmed with the response to our scenic flight while most border restrictions were still in place. It sold out in 10 minutes and the feedback from people onboard was fantastic,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
“Now that more borders are starting to open, we’re partnering with tourism operators on the ground to offer special flights to special destinations,” he added.
In addition to the scenic flights, which will include low-level flybys, the national carrier is also offering overnight stays “to some of the most iconic Australian spots”.
The first of Scenic Flight Getaways will take 110 passengers on board a Qantas 737 from Sydney to Uluru on December 5.
The overnight outing will include a pre-flight lounge champagne breakfast, a flight to Uluru including low level flybys of Sydney Harbour on departure and low level circuits to offer passengers a bird’s eye view of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, says the carrier.
Qantas will partner with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia to provide guests with a Red Centre experience staying at Ayers Rock Resort’s premier hotel, Sails in the Desert.
During their stay, guests will enjoy an Indigenous art workshop, a night at Field of Light (a light-based installation created by British artist Bruce Munro) including a three-course dinner under the stars, with a didgeridoo (a wind instrument) performance and an Indigenous interpretation of the night sky, says the carrier.
The following morning, passengers will watch sunrise over Uluru and a guided walk to the Muṯitjulu Waterhole as well as a visit to neighbouring Kata Tjuta before a late morning brunch and a flight back to Sydney for a final harbour flyby before landing.
The first Qantas Scenic Flight Getaway is now on sale now via Qantas.com for the Uluru trip. A Business Class trip costs A$3,999 per person, while an Economy Class costs $2,499 per person. Both prices include twin share accommodation.
Qantas and Jetstar are currently operating under 30 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic capacity, but the airline says it is hoping to increase capacity up to 50 per cent by Christmas.
