Qantas has announced the launch of its latest international flight, a direct flight from Darwin International Airport (DRW) in the Northern Territory to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
Flights are expected to begin in December 2024, starting five days a week, then increasing to daily flights by March 2025. The route will be operated by Qantas’ dual-class Embraer E190 aircraft.
The Australian airline said the latest route was made possible by the establishment of an E190 base at Darwin Airport. The base, which opened in 2022, will allow Qantas to reach destinations previously impossible with larger aircraft, such as flying from Darwin to Timor-Leste’s capital Dili.
Singapore will be Qantas’ second international connection from Darwin and will also serve as a connection to London and other destinations in Europe and Asia on QF1 flights.
The company said customers traveling from Darwin could save around five hours of flight time to London or other Asian or European destinations by skipping flights through other Australian capitals. .
“This direct flight is good news not only for Territorial residents wanting to visit Singapore, but also for travelers traveling to London, Europe and other parts of Southeast Asia, connecting to popular destinations such as Phuket and Kuala Lumpur on partner airlines. , saving hours of travel time,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said in a press statement.
Mr Wallace added: “This new route will also restore links with the UK established when borders first reopened after the pandemic, and with support from the Northern Territory Government and Darwin Airport, London flights will be “We have temporarily rerouted the route through Darwin.” ”
The connection between Darwin and Singapore has played an important role in Qantas’ history.
In 1935, the company opened the Kangaroo Route, a commercial passenger air route between Australia and Great Britain via the Eastern Hemisphere using de Havilland 86s.
Darwin was our last stop in Australia before heading to Singapore and London. At the time, a flight from Darwin to Singapore took five stops and four-and-a-half days, in stark contrast to the four-hour, 45-minute flight time for this latest 2024 route.
