Travellers made history on Sunday when they boarded Qantas’ inaugural Airbus A380 flight from Johannesburg to Sydney, the first time the Australian national carrier has operated the "Superjumbo" from the African continent.
The A380 will fly up to six times per week and see a near-doubling capacity, with an extra 130,000 seats between South Africa and Australia annually.
The Qantas A380 has a capacity for 485 passengers across four cabins, with the Superjumbo introduction, which saw First Class return on the route for the first time since 2018. Qantas First features 14 individual suites arranged in an exclusive 1-1-1 configuration and can be converted into a 212-centimetre bed. The upgauge will also more than double the number of Premium Economy seats available between the cities.
The mega aircraft also features an upper deck lounge for passengers in First and Business, with booth-style seating for 10 people, a self-service bar and an option to order signature drinks and snacks.
Qantas first touched down in South Africa in 1948 with a Lancastrian survey flight from Sydney via Perth, the Cocos Islands and Mauritius to Johannesburg. The first passenger services commenced along the same route in September 1952 using a Lockheed Constellation L-749A. The journey took 66 hours and became affectionately known as the Wallaby Route – a nod to the Kangaroo Route from Australia to London.
Today, the Flying Kangaroo’s flights are non-stop, with the upgauge heralding the first A380 flight by any airline across the southern Indian Ocean.
The Australian national carrier also intends to relaunch flights from Johannesburg to Perth from mid-2025, subject to meeting border agency requirements in Western Australia.
Qantas and Airlink established Codeshare
The significant increase in capacity comes as Qantas announces a new codeshare partnership with Airlink, substantially expanding its inbound network into South Africa.
Qantas will add the QF code on Airlink’s domestic network, enabling seamless connectivity between Qantas flights to Johannesburg and nine South African destinations. The carrier hopes to add additional Airlink destinations in nearby southern African countries over the coming months, pending regulatory approval.
“We are seeing strong demand for our Sydney services and, by upgrading to the Superjumbo, we will nearly double capacity during peak periods, adding over 130,000 seats annually between the continents." Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said. “Qantas has a rich history of flying between South Africa and Australia over the past 72 years, having operated Constellations and Super Constellations, Electras, 707s, 747s, Dreamliners and now the A380. The A380 is a favourite among our frequent flyers and it will be great to see the Flying Kangaroo in the land of the springbok. This extra capacity will significantly expand the options for Qantas customers heading to Australia, strengthening the connections between family and friends, business and trade as well as give a big boost to the South African tourism industry.”
Fares on the new A380 flights are available now at qantas.com and via travel agents. All Qantas international fares include checked baggage allowance, food and beverages and inflight entertainment as standard with every booking.
The inaugural A380 flights have full passenger loads in both directions. With the increase in capacity, Qantas will operate over 280,000 seats per year between South Africa and Australia. Return fares from Johannesburg to Sydney are available from R19,560.
The flights are timed to connect in both directions with Qantas’ New Zealand services. This is the world’s only A380 flight that crosses the southern Indian Ocean and, when flying a southerly route on a clear day, customers can often see Antarctica.
Flight times: Johannesburg to Sydney: 11 hours and 55 minutes. Sydney to Johannesburg: 14 hours and 40 minutes. In addition to Johannesburg, Qantas flies its A380s to Los Angeles, Singapore and London.
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