Qantas red tails to return to Fiji

Qantas mainline will operate Fiji flights for the first time in almost 20 years in response to growing demand from Australians wanting to visit the popular holiday destination. A four-times weekly service from Sydney flying Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be operated by a Boeing 737 and begins March 31. Qantas mainline last flew to Fiji from Melbourne 18 years ago, a spokesman said. The new service comes after Fiji and Australia twice expanded their air services agreement in 2018, by 10 percent in May and then by a further 20 percent in October. Australian Transport Minister Michael McCormack said in the second increase that more than 338,000 passengers traveled between the two countries in the year to June, 2018. The new Qantas service offers a  premium travel option to Fiji that includes checked luggage, entertainment, food and drinks as part of the fare. The Australian airline group already serviced Fiji through low-cost carrier Jetstar and Qantas will add its code to the budget carrier’s flights from February 1. It says it will now offer 75,000 seats annually to Fiji over six days a week when Jetstar’s four times weekly service is included. Emirates to shut four Australian offices. Qantas customers who travel on Jetstar flights will get benefits such as points and status credits as well as a free meal. The Australian carrier is also a major investor in Fiji Airways and will continue to codeshare on the Fijian carrier’s services to Nadi. Fiji's Australian destinations include Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Qantas frequent flyers can earn points and status credits and premium members get access to priority boarding and lounges on Fiji Airways codeshare flights. Qantas International CEO Alison Webster said the addition of Fiji to the Qantas network provided more choice for the growing number of Australians wanting to holiday on the islands. “Fiji continues to be an incredibly popular holiday destination for Australian families, couples and adventure and luxury travelers, with a number of new luxury properties having opened up on the islands in recent years,” she said in a statement. “We have built flexibility into our network to respond to growing demand where we see it. In this case, it’s a return to Fiji after almost 20 years, a short four-hour hop from Sydney, helping extend the summer for Australians year-round. “The combination of Qantas and Jetstar also means we can provide more options to a destination which caters to different budgets and tastes, with good interstate connections for passengers traveling from other parts of Australia.”