The Qantas Perth to London non-stop service is setting yet more records but this time it’s not for speed but for passenger load factor and profitability.
Speaking exclusively with AirlineRatings.com Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said that the load factor on the service is an incredible 92 percent and for premium classes, 94 percent making it the airline’s most profitable service say, analysts.
The airline’s overall load factor is just above 80 percent.
READ: Boeing and Airbus can meet Qantas’ Sydney to London non-stop dream
Mr. Joyce was responding to data released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK aviation regulator which stated that the flights were only 78.1 percent full.
However, what the CAA numbers do not count are those passengers going on to Melbourne or any other destination in Australia.
Qantas had earlier responded by only saying “our London-Perth route is performing well – it is definitely exceeding our expectations.”
However, Mr. Joyce confided with AirlineRatings.com that the service was way above expectations.
On further expansion of direct services with a Perth to Paris non-stop, Mr. Joyce said that the airline needed to see the results of 12-months of services that would take in the highs and lows of seasonal travel to access the overall viability of the direct flights.
Qantas has 14 787-9s in service or on order and is expected to commit to Paris in the first quarter next year.
The airline group, which has another 11 787-8s with its low fare subsidiary Jetstar, has price rights on the further 45 787s.
Qantas has also set speed records for the Perth to London QF9 Boeing 787-9 non-stop flight slashing almost an hour off the scheduled flight time.
The latest record time was set on July 20 and was just 16 hours 23 minutes instead of the scheduled 17 hours 20 minutes.
The non-stop flight to London, launched in March, is now consistently at least 45 minutes better than scheduled.
The times have gradually been getting better as the strong northern winter winds have given way to a lighter summer pattern.
The inbound QF10 from London to Perth is also setting record times of 15.45 minutes also stripping an hour off the published time.
