Taildragger67
18th May 2004, 05:18
From Bloomberg News at 05.08gmt:
Qantas Applies To Increase U.K. Flights by One-Third
By Barbara Adam
May 18 (Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia's largest carrier, applied to increase its number of weekly flights to the U.K. by a third, including the first to stopover in Hong Kong.
The seven extra flights -- four via Hong Kong and three via Singapore -- would take the number of weekly flights to the U.K. to 28 within two years, the Sydney-based airline said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
The additional flights, if approved, would allow Qantas to fly the so-called `Kangaroo Route' to London via Hong Kong for the first time, Qantas Airlines Executive General Manager John Borghetti said in the statement. Qantas also applied for three more weekly services to the U.K. via Hong Kong, beginning after April 2006, he said.
The Australian and Hong Kong governments last month agreed to expand air rights between the two countries, to be phased in over two years. Under the agreement, the number of flights between Hong Kong and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth can double to 70 a week.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. has been granted rights to fly to Sydney and Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways also plans to start flying to Sydney from London via Hong Kong later this year.
Qantas shares fell 1 cent to A$3.28 at 3:05 p.m. in Sydney.
Qantas Applies To Increase U.K. Flights by One-Third
By Barbara Adam
May 18 (Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia's largest carrier, applied to increase its number of weekly flights to the U.K. by a third, including the first to stopover in Hong Kong.
The seven extra flights -- four via Hong Kong and three via Singapore -- would take the number of weekly flights to the U.K. to 28 within two years, the Sydney-based airline said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
The additional flights, if approved, would allow Qantas to fly the so-called `Kangaroo Route' to London via Hong Kong for the first time, Qantas Airlines Executive General Manager John Borghetti said in the statement. Qantas also applied for three more weekly services to the U.K. via Hong Kong, beginning after April 2006, he said.
The Australian and Hong Kong governments last month agreed to expand air rights between the two countries, to be phased in over two years. Under the agreement, the number of flights between Hong Kong and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth can double to 70 a week.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. has been granted rights to fly to Sydney and Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways also plans to start flying to Sydney from London via Hong Kong later this year.
Qantas shares fell 1 cent to A$3.28 at 3:05 p.m. in Sydney.