Qantas has launched new service between Brisbane and Tokyo Haneda. The route will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with an Airbus A330 featuring Business Class Suites and lie-flat beds.
On Thursday (December 1st, 2022), Qantas announced the launch of nonstop service between Brisbane and Tokyo-Haneda, the only carrier offering direct service on the route. Flights will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with an Airbus A330 featuring Business Class Suites and lie-flat beds. The Brisbane-Haneda service replaces the carrier’s former service between Brisbane and Tokyo-Narita, and will save travelers over an hour when commuting into Tokyo’s city centre. Inbound flights to Brisbane have been timed to provide seamless onward connectivity across Qantas’ extensive domestic network.
In Thursday’s announcement, Qantas’ Regional General Manager for Asia, John Simeone, said,
“Pre-COVID, Japan was one of the most popular destinations for Australian travellers and we’re seeing the demand for Tokyo bounce back strongly. The new flight from Brisbane into Haneda Airport gives our customers much easier and faster access to downtown Tokyo and one of the world’s most important business markets, saving more than an hour of transit time in getting to the city. Qantas has a long history of serving the Japanese market and in fact later this month we’ll be celebrating 75 years of flying between Australia and Japan. We’re pleased to build on this legacy by connecting Japanese travellers to the Sunshine State once again.”
Also commenting on the new route, Queensland’s Tourism Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, said,
“Every year, Qantas direct from Haneda will land 46,460 seats in Brisbane and deliver more opportunities for Japanese visitors to enjoy Queensland’s great lifestyle. We know Japanese visitors love our iconic, world-class visitor experiences and with return travel becoming much easier, we’re excited to welcome travellers from Japan back to the Queensland sunshine. Before the pandemic, Japan was one Queensland tourism’s top five nations for overseas holiday arrivals and visitor spending. Direct Qantas flights from Tokyo Haneda will potentially generate $41 million a year for Brisbane’s visitor economy and support 400 good Queensland jobs.”
Brisbane Airport’s CEO, Gert-Jan de Graaff, added,
“This is a milestone day for BNE. We are delighted to see the return of flights between Tokyo and Brisbane Airport, boosting one of Queensland’s most important tourism markets. These Qantas services will bring more visitors, students on working holidays and business travellers to Brisbane, while generating valuable opportunities for Queensland exporters.”
The new direct service between Brisbane and Tokyo-Haneda is supported by Queensland’s $200 million Attracting Aviation Investment fund, in partnership with the State’s four international airports. The route will also provide Australian producers in the region with more cargo capacity for fresh produce such as chilled meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetables. The Qantas Group operates over 20 return flights weekly between Australia and Japan, including flights from Brisbane and Sydney to Tokyo-Haneda. Additionally, service between Melbourne and Haneda will resume in March 2023. The Group’s LCC Jetstar operates flights from Cairns to Tokyo Narita and Osaka, as well as between Gold Coast and Tokyo Narita. Inbound travelers to Tokyo-Haneda will also enjoy onward seamless domestic connectivity with Qantas’ partner Japan Airlines.
Source: Qantas