Qantas to start flights from Darwin to Singapore

Spoke the other day to an A220pilot - fleet planning is a little all over the shop so future routes are still up in the air (to them at least),

He is however getting mighty sick of Launceston…….
Great news, Launceston is changing to E190. So he can get sick of somewhere else instead (most likely last minute call ups to be a simulator buddy 🤣)

In other news, DRW-SIN inaugural A220 currently set for 26/10
 
ExecTrav AU 14 Feb 2025--->Qantas pushes back A220 flights to Singapore
The direct connection between the Top End and Singapore isn’t kicking off quite as Qantas had hoped..

Qantas is delaying the international debut of its latest Airbus A220 by seven months. The airline intended this nimble factory-fresh jet to launch direct flights between Darwin and Singapore on Sunday 30 March.
<snio>
Qantas says its A220 will now take over the Top End route from Sunday October 26, toggling up to five flights per week
<snip>
Having last operated Darwin-Singapore flights in 2006, Qantas will now be hoping “third time’s the charm” for the route’s return, given it was previously due to launch in December 2024 using a leased Embraer E190 jet.

Qantas tells Executive Traveller the A220 has been temporarily removed from the Darwin-Singapore route to support the re-training of former QantasLink Boeing 717 crew on this all-new and vastly different jet as it continues to operate along the east coast.

The A220 already connects Sydney and Melbourne with Hobart, Launceston and Coffs Harbour, along with Melbourne to Canberra and Brisbane – and QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan wants to keep her A220s busy.
<snip>
To reschedule in mid Feburary, fights due in 30 March to 7 months later is significant managment fail.
 
So what ever aircraft and crew that can be found on the day??
Would expect changes

LST isn’t a heavy premium market I always thought a full A220 schedule was overkill year round so personally I was not surprised some smaller airframes are being rotated in for shoulder slots and seasons (although I’m sure the A220 crewing issues may have also played a role).

And yes I agree will keep changing.

The good thing is when they do this fwd scheduling with more flights / uncertain aircraft is that there are some great deals that I’ve snapped up for public holiday weekends which wouldn’t normally be there :)
 
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QF has updated their DRW-SIN schedules for NW25/26, the mainline 737 will continue to operate into the NW season.

 
QF has updated their DRW-SIN schedules for NW25/26, the mainline 737 will continue to operate into the NW season.

Oh dear!
 
The story goes the a220 won’t start on the route until at least 20 aircraft have arrived so 2027+?
Given the loads so far I’m not convinced it will still be a route by then
 
The story goes the a220 won’t start on the route until at least 20 aircraft have arrived so 2027+?
Given the loads so far I’m not convinced it will still be a route by then

Yeah, wet season will be a struggle!

The product offering between SQ and QF is hard to ignore when they price is often the same. Even other Australian ports, loads have dropped off (it is low season), QFs reputation / clapped out A330 in Asia has left it as a last choice
 
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Yeah, wet season will be a struggle!

The product offering between SQ and QF is hard to ignore when they price is often the same. Even other Australian ports, loads have dropped off (it is low season), QFs reputation / clapped out A330 in Asia has left it as a last choice
Also the timings for SQ open up some different transfer possibilities whereas QF seems to be timed to connect to QF1 only (that said I haven’t spent a lot of time searching for JQ or oneworld connections). Plus the fact it’s only 4 days a week is annoying. I’m a fairly rusted on QF flyer but this is pushing me to the limit 🤣
 

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