{"id":53043,"date":"2023-12-12T11:36:15","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T06:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=53043"},"modified":"2023-12-12T11:36:19","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T06:06:19","slug":"qantas-will-operate-70000-flights-8-5-million-travelers-this-christmas-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/12\/qantas-will-operate-70000-flights-8-5-million-travelers-this-christmas-holiday\/","title":{"rendered":"Qantas will Operate 70,000 flights and Expects 8.5 Million Travelers this Christmas Holiday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SYDNEY-<\/strong> Qantas (QF)<\/a> and Jetstar (JQ)<\/a> are gearing up for one of their most bustling Christmas holiday travel seasons in years while consistently investing in enhancing the customer experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anticipating more than 8.5 million passengers, December and January are expected to witness over 70,000 flights by Qantas and Jetstar combined. This marks an increase of over half a million passengers compared to the same period last year and represents the highest numbers since 2019-20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Qantas
Photo: By Simon_sees from Australia – Sydney Airport, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=72845384<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Qantas Christmas Holiday Flights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The peak day for travel across the group is projected to be Friday, December 15, with an estimated 150,000 customers taking to the skies throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qantas and Jetstar are going the extra mile to get ready for the summer peak, aiming to provide a safe and seamless travel experience during this exceptionally busy period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qantas, maintaining its position as the most punctual major domestic airline for the last 14 months, has also achieved the lowest cancellations over the past six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline’s dedicated focus remains on consistently ensuring that customers reach their destinations on time. Meanwhile, Jetstar has experienced significant performance improvements leading into summer, benefitting from resolving supply chain issues and adding new aircraft to its fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Qantas
Photo: Qantas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Additional Measures for Seamless Customer Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Several supplementary measures have been implemented for the summer peak, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Up to 13 jet aircraft, including an Airbus A380<\/a>, will be on standby as ‘operational spares’ to provide an additional buffer in case of disruptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. There has been a significant increase in the number of reserve staff available to be called upon in the event of unexpected sick leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Over the past 12 months, almost 3,300 additional operational employees, such as cabin crew, pilots, engineers, and airport customer service staff, have been recruited to accommodate the rise in-flight activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Maintenance work on Qantas and Jetstar aircraft has been accelerated. This involves a targeted fleet health program at Qantas’ engineering facility in Brisbane, specifically focusing on Boeing 737 aircraft<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Collaboration with industry partners is underway to ensure extra staff availability during peak periods. This includes having additional ground handlers on standby and additional airport security screeners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In the current fiscal year, Qantas is allocating $230 million<\/strong> towards various initiatives to address concerns and enhance the overall customer experience. Notable enhancements already implemented comprise an increase in Frequent Flyer reward seats, a substantial upgrade to the Qantas app featuring baggage tracking, improved in-flight catering, and more generous customer recovery measures in the case of significant flight delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Qantas
    Photo: Qantas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    More International Flights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Aligned with the sustained high demand for international travel, the Qantas Group is significantly increasing its international capacity this summer compared to the previous year, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Qantas has more than doubled its Australia<\/a>-Japan flights, catering to the numerous Australians embarking on skiing holidays in the upcoming months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Flights to New York<\/a> from Sydney have resumed, now with a layover in Auckland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Since the reopening of borders, shanghai-Sydney flights have recommenced, marking the final international destination to be reintegrated into Qantas’ pre-COVID network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Jetstar is set to commence flights between Melbourne <\/a>and Fiji this week.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      As previously communicated, the Group anticipates that international capacity will return to pre-COVID levels by the middle of next year, currently operating at approximately 90 per cent of those levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"Virgin
      Photo: Brisbane Airport (BNE)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n