Qantas to raise capacity on Japan route

Qantas will increase capacity to Japan from July this year to meet increased demand, the flag carrier announced yesterday.

From 5 July this year, six services between Sydney and Tokyo Narita will be operated by two-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft and one service operated by an A330-200 aircraft.

Qantas currently operates a daily service between the two cities with its two-class Airbus A330-300s.

?This will increase capacity by 115 seats per flight ? of which 26 seats will be Business Class ? and on a weekly basis, Qantas will add 1,256 seats on the route? said the airline?s chief executive Alan Joyce in a statement.

Joyce said the seats would meet the hiked demand for travel to Japan by Australians ?particularly in the leisure and VFR markets.?

He added that the increase would also complement Qantas?s two brand strategy in the Japan market.

?Japan is also a key gateway for North East Asia traffic, particularly Korea, so this additional capacity will allow Qantas to grow this market? he said.

Qantas have since launched a fare sale on the route, with a return fare from Sydney to Tokyo for AUD$1,128 inclusive of all taxes for travel between 1 June and 18 September 2010, on sale until 16 March.

Sourced = The e Travel Blackboard