Qantas: pilgrims in – passengers out………….
A report in The Australian says that Aussie next July Aussie travellers get their first chance in five years to fly to Rome on Qantas, thanks to a surge in demand from pilgrims wanting to attend World Youth Day.
Qantas will return to Rome for the first time since 2003 to pick up the pilgrims, and the public will have a chance to buy seats on “positioning flights” going in the opposite direction.
Prices start at $1711 one way, including taxes with a return fare costing $2752 all inclusive.
“It’s kind of backwards to forwards,” said Qantas spokesman Lloyd Quartermaine.
“The World Youth Day ones will have all the pilgrims on them and the flights going there initially from Australia will be open to the public.”
The airline announced yesterday it would fly three services to Rome and one to Los Angeles to bring passengers to the event.
As many as 600,000 pilgrims are expected to congregate at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse to see the Pope celebrate mass.
Qantas said it was prepared to add even more flights if demand warranted.
Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said: “Qantas is a major sponsor for World Youth Day and we have already seen a large number of advance bookings from overseas for this important event. There is demand for pilgrims to attend World Youth Day across the Qantas network, but it is particularly strong from Italy and the United States.”
Qantas will operate flights from Rome on July 5, 8 and 12, returning on July 21, 25 and 28.
This means the public will be able to buy tickets on flights between Sydney and Rome on July 4, 7 and 11 and on the return leg on July 22, 26 and 29.
The Sydney-LA leg open to the public will be on July 9, returning on July 23. The flying kangaroo was last seen in Rome in 2003 but the Qantas group has not given up on the city as a destination.
Jetstar is looking closely at possible destinations in southern Europe for one-stop services for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners after they begin arriving next year.
Rome and Athens top the list of potential destinations but the airline has not ruled out flying as far as Germany.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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