From the CAPA summit in BNE last week.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce was the opening keynote speaker on the second day of the summit. In a Q&A session with CNN’s Richard Quest following the speech Mr Joyce discussed a wide range of topics including international expansion, the group’s fleet plan and partnerships.
As Mr Evans had highlighted the prior day, international expansion is planned for late 2017 following the delivery of Qantas’ first batch of 787-9s. Mr Joyce provided more detail, stating that there are “three potential networks” Qantas is now working through for its incoming Boeing 787-9 fleet.
“We’re talking to the airports and the states to make them successful,” he said. “There’s lots of alternatives about where we can deploy those aircraft, so we’re working through that and by the end of this calendar year we’ll be making an announcement about the route network for the 787s.”
infrastructure support from airports “is going to be critical” in the decision where to base the 787-9 fleet
Mr Joyce said infrastructure support from airports “is going to be critical” in the decision where to base the 787-9 fleet. Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are all under consideration.
In Perth, the aircraft would be used to launch nonstop flights to London. “There’s opportunities to grow from Brisbane to the US,” Mr Joyce noted. “There’s potential out of Melbourne [with] the aircraft being able to fly from Melbourne to Dallas or add frequency from Melbourne to LA. Out of Sydney the aircraft could fly to places like Chicago.”
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