Qantas to launch Dallas/Fort Worth services

The route will see Qantas operate direct outbound flights from Sydney to DFW (as QF7), returning to Sydney via Brisbane (as QF8). DFW is the primary hub of Qantas' fellow oneworld alliance member, American Airlines, and the two carriers will soon seek to expand their commercial relationship.

Qantas will offer four return flights to DFW each week, featuring a three-class Boeing 747 aircraft. Direct Sydney-San Francisco (SFO) services will be discontinued on 14 May 2011, but SFO will remain part of Qantas' network as a codeshare destination.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alan Joyce, said DFW will be an excellent addition to the Qantas network and enable Qantas to strengthen its relationship with American Airlines.

"This new service is great news for both Australian and American travellers," Mr Joyce said. "It will connect Qantas customers to one of the USA's major hub airports, benefitting both business and leisure travellers. Flying to DFW is an important step for Qantas as we expand and improve our international services."

DFW is the fourth-largest and fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States and an important centre of business and tourism. It welcomed over 56 million passengers in 2009, with 59 per cent of those passengers continuing onward to other destinations.

From DFW, American Airlines and its regional airline partner, American Eagle, operate nearly 750 flights to 186 destinations worldwide. DFW is American's largest hub and it offers easy connections to American's four other cornerstone markets of Chicago, Miami, New York and Los Angeles.

"Alongside our entry into DFW, Qantas and American Airlines intend to deepen their existing relationship and will be seeking regulatory approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and other relevant authorities for this expanded commercial relationship," Mr Joyce said.

"We have worked closely with American Airlines over many years, and with the commencement of services to Dallas/Fort Worth we look forward to taking our partnership to a new level and providing new and enhanced benefits for consumers in Australia and the United States."

The enhanced commercial agreement between American Airlines and Qantas will involve coordination of operations between Australia/New Zealand and the United States and deliver considerable benefits for Australian and US consumers. It will give Qantas a stronger and more balanced network footprint in the United States and provide more choice and convenience for travellers.

Thirteen new US destinations and three Mexican destinations* will join the Qantas network through new American Airlines-operated codeshare services, meaning Qantas will codeshare with AA to a total of 51 destinations in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Once the new alliance comes into place, it will provide a joint platform for the airlines to increase DFW services to a daily frequency.

"We welcome the addition of services to Australia at DFW by our valued oneworld partner, Qantas," said Gerard Arpey, American's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "An expanded relationship and deeper commercial cooperation with the premier Australian carrier will benefit consumers, the employees, shareholders and financial supporters of both airlines and will greatly enhance the services offered to passengers by oneworld carriers."

As part of the new commercial arrangement, AAVacations, the wholly owned tour operator of American Airlines, will look to launch a comprehensive range of Australian and Asia-Pacific land, air and integrated vacations for the US market, designed to grow US leisure travel to Australia and the region.

In further positive news for Australian and US travellers, Qantas will also increase the frequency of its Los Angeles-New York service (QF107/108) from six times per week to daily, from June 2011.

* In the U.S: Albuquerque, Boise, Cleveland, Washington DC (Reagan National), El Paso, New York (LaGuardia), Kansas City, Oklahoma, Phoenix, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Tucson. In Mexico: Cancun, Guadalajara, Mexico City.