Qantas is ramping up flights to Europe and redeploying aircraft from its US network as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global travel routes.
Australia’s biggest airline will progressively roll out the changes from mid-April through to late July, increasing capacity on key European routes.
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Flights between Perth and Rome will leave daily, while services to Paris will increase from three to five a week.Â
The Paris flights will now depart Sydney and travel via Singapore instead of Perth, allowing an additional 60 passengers on each service.
Qantas said it would also boost its Perth–Singapore route to 10 flights a week to better connect with its European network.
The changes come as airlines cut or reroute services to avoid major Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, amid safety concerns linked to the Iran war.
Airspace closures over the Middle East and Ukraine are diverting flights into narrow corridors via central Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. (Supplied: FlightRadar24)
Aviation expert Justin Wastnage, from the Griffith Institute for Tourism, estimated up to 30 per cent of capacity between Australia and Europe had been removed, tightening supply and pushing up fares.
He said the Qantas move was unlikely to result in cheaper airfares.
“This is a premium service, and it’s operating in a constrained market,” Mr Wastnage said.
He said airlines were grappling with rising fuel costs linked to instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route.
LoadingAircraft pulled from US routes
Qantas said it would redeploy Boeing 787 aircraft from its US network and shift some Airbus A330 aircraft from domestic to international services.
Mr Wastnage said US services may be scaled back as the airline prioritised demand for Europe.
“It’s a classic airline response, moving aircraft to where demand is strongest,” Mr Wastnage said.
It comes as Qantas’s low-cost airline Jetstar announced it would cut some services between Australia and New Zealand from May, due to the rising price of jet fuel.
Perth and Darwin could emerge as long-term hubs
The changes may signal a broader shift in how Australians travel to Europe.
Mr Wastnage said airlines had long relied on stopovers in the Middle East, but the current disruption could accelerate a move towards routes via Perth and Darwin.
“This could be one of those turning points,” Mr Wastnage said.
“We’ve seen the kangaroo route evolve before, and this may be another shift.”
Qantas said it was continuing to monitor the situation in the Middle East, including fuel supply and demand, and would adjust its schedule as needed.
Customers affected by the changes are being offered alternative flights or refunds.