Qantas considering flying Sydney-London via Taiwan

[Mattg]

This comment from Alan Joyce in last week's earnings call caught my attention:

And when you look at the network that we’re proposing from the middle of December involves a daily Sydney-LA, Sydney-Honolulu, a four-a-week Sydney to Japan, and a daily from Sydney to London via Singapore or via Taiwan.

Qantas Airways Ltd (QAN) Q4 2021 Earnings Call Transcript | AlphaStreet

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX:QAN) Q4 2021 earnings call dated Aug. 25, 2021.

news.alphastreet.com

So, if for some reason Singapore isn't open by December but Taiwan and the UK is, who knows - perhaps we'll see a daily SYD-TPE-LHR service on the 787? Perhaps even alongside MEL-DRW-LHR?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

One wonders if Chinese airspace will be available for QF flights ex TPE?

 

[kevinyhli]

Would be an interesting route, but think TPE is not even open for transits currently and didn't think they had any plans of opening until 2022

 

[SYD]

Commercially (additional PAX in/out of TPE), it possibly makes more sense than DRW, but TPE is further off the GC route to LHR? Where as DRW is slap bang on it ex-SYD.

 

[SYD]

Commercially (additional PAX in/out of TPE), it possibly makes more sense than DRW, but TPE is further off the GC route to LHR? Where as DRW is slap bang on it ex-SYD.

Oh, and this might be a factor?

Will Starlux join the Oneworld alliance?

As the Taiwanese startup spreads its wings, it sees alliance membership as a logical next step.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[Lynda2475]

MEL-DRW-LHR

This is the more likley candidate, given WA unlikley to open to the east coast by Xmas, but plenty of east coast demand for UK (and as a gateway to EU).

DRW-LHR is very appealing because it doesnt require one to transit a 3rd country, so de-risks return trip.

I think plenty would happly fly SYD-DRW-LHR too.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is the more likley candidate, given WA unlikley to open to the east coast by Xmas, but plenty of east coast demand for UK (and as a gateway to EU).

DRW-LHR is very appealing because it doesnt require one to transit a 3rd country, so de-risks return trip.

I think plenty would happly fly SYD-DRW-LHR too.

DRW also de-risks the crew in stopover in TPE being subject to any quarantine/red-list etc.

 

[Princess Fiona]

They have QF1 scheduled from 18th Dec via SIN.

 

[jb747]

Rubbish. It's not a usable route.

 

[Mattg]

They have QF1 scheduled from 18th Dec via SIN.

Indeed they do. AJ's comment in that earnings call was the only reference I've seen Qantas make to operating TPE-LHR flights. So I wonder if this was a slip of the tongue, or something Qantas is actually considering?

If they were considering it, I would have to assume it would be in conjunction with a travel bubble opening between Australia and Taiwan.

Rubbish. It's not a usable route.

Why is that?

 

[jakeseven7]

Indeed they do. AJ's comment in that earnings call was the only reference I've seen Qantas make to operating TPE-LHR flights. So I wonder if this was a slip of the tongue, or something Qantas is actually considering?

If they were considering it, I would have to assume it would be in conjunction with a travel bubble opening between Australia and Taiwan.

Maybe Taiwan is code for something else then…

 

[Ade]

When I hear TPE, I always think of the CX F award seats ex-HKG at very cheap QF points. Unsure if these would be available post CoVID when we learn to live & travel with CoVID.

If they do, I think I might do a trip to experience CX F for the first time. I have heard good things about this leg. It's only 90 minutes, but supposedly good 90 minutes

 

[serfty]

SYD-LHR Via TPE is actually a little over 100km less in GC distance than via SIN.

Via Tokyo is about 160km further than via TPE

 

[sudoer]

SYD-LHR Via TPE is actually a little over 100km less in GC distance than via SIN.

Also just adding that Emirates and Asiana have operated A380s to TPE in the past

 

[Vic]

Rubbish. It's not a usable route.

Why is that?

Probably a political issue due to TPE-LHR over flying mainland china.

 

[Ade]

Also just adding that Emirates

Another way to use QF Points on EK?

 

[andye]

I read somewhere a while ago that QF was taking Taiwan off the drop-down country list in response to Chinese pressure. Not sure if it ever happened

 

[sudoer]

Probably a political issue due to TPE-LHR over flying mainland china.

Must have something to do with it. EK367 flies a strangely indirect route - seemingly to avoid China but then briefly crosses the mainland near Haikou.

Post automatically merged: Sep 2, 2021

I read somewhere a while ago that QF was taking Taiwan off the drop-down country list in response to Chinese pressure. Not sure if it ever happened

They renamed it to "Taiwan, China".

JAL took a different approach and completely restructured their drop-down so you now select a city (Taipei) rather than a country.

 

[justinbrett]

EK deal must be dead if they’re suggesting TPE over DXB.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When I hear TPE, I always think of the CX F award seats ex-HKG at very cheap QF points. Unsure if these would be available post CoVID when we learn to live & travel with CoVID.

If they do, I think I might do a trip to experience CX F for the first time. I have heard good things about this leg. It's only 90 minutes, but supposedly good 90 minutes

I think they stopped offering F to TPE already pre covid?