Qantas MEL-JNB 26th May

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas is offering a one time direct service from Melbourne to Johannesburg on the 26th May.

Probably for the World Cup. But it seems a little early.

[Sarah C]

It is the flight the Socceroos are travelling on, and you can buy tickets in P, W and Y class on the same flight (qantas.com has details). It makes sense for them to travel that early.

[Andrew P]

ties in with the Qantas Socceroos vs New Zealand All Whites game at the MCG on 24th May

[Anthony T]

MEL-JNB, sounds like a good idea, I wonder why no other airline does this route before.

Oh wait.... V Australia starts this route tomorrow, March 13.

Once again QF follows, and then with only one flight.

The way QF international are going in MEL they may be relegated to the stand-off bay's by Melbourne Airport to make room for airlines that actually want to provide services from Melbourne.

Anthony T

[Justin L]

Fair go Anthony. QF are the naming sponsors of the Socceroos and with their last game in Australia before heading to South Africa in Melbourne, it makes perfect sense to just run a one-off flight to get them there direct. And if they can sell a few extra seats to regular pax, then good on them. Remember, they also flew the Socceroos from Montevideo to Sydney on a charter flight (not for regular pax though) in 2005 between qualifiers.

QF Group have tried several routes out of MEL that didn't last long. I can think of MEL-NRT, MEL-PVG and MEL-HNL(JQ) off the top of my head.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see more QF international flights out of MEL though.

[Michael Cleary]

QF actually did operate the MEL-JNB direct route for about 6 months or so a few years back, not long before the direct SYD-JNB flights started.

[Anthony T]

No problem, Justin.

Just having a go at Qantas, in jest, they really are one of the world's great airlines, they just enjoy ripping off the Australian public, elsewhere on the planet QF fares are very good.

They (QF) want $2050 for a one way ticket MEL-JNB, V Australia only want $888 for a departure the day before, how many Socceroos have they booked on this flight?

Anthony T

[Mark Grima]

By the time you add the playing squad to all the 'office' staff including coaches, medical people, media relations people ect. Could total 40+ so I would thik they'll have the J cabin on a 2 class 744 to them selves.

The Montivideo flights mentioned above were on a modified 767 which had massage tables and medical oxygen fitted. That however was due to a 4 day turn around between playing in Uruguay and Australia. No need for that this time with such a long time to recover in South Africa.

If I was planning to go to the WC I would be booking on this flight. Would be doubtful if there was any interaction between the Socceroos and regular pax but still, to say you flew to the WC with them would be pretty cool. Good work by the FFA to allow it.

Cheers

M

[Kelvin R]

Full details are here: http://travelinsider.qantas.com.au/q...occeroosFlight

Economy return from $1,399*
Premium Economy return from $3,499*

Seems to be plenty of seats still at these prices and looking at the seatmap the flight appears to have perhaps 10 people in all classes.

The normal SYD-JNB QF63 is still operating that day, so does that mean QF163 will return empty or will QF63 be cancelled?

[Jason H]

looks like the aircraft operating as QF163 will stay the night in JNB and return to SYD the next day as QF64. There is no QF63 on May27