Qantas is raising capacity between Australia and Europe next summer with the start of a third direct route from Perth.
More than 75,000 extra seats a year will be available with the re-introduction of flights to Paris for the first time in almost 20 years.
The 17-hour Boeing 787 Dreamliner service will cut around three hours off the the current fastest travel time between Perth and Paris.
The route will run from July 12 to coincide with the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Flights will initially operate four days a week during the peak European summer, reducing to three a week from mid-August 2024.
The arrival of new aircraft in recent months and recent increases in flying will see the group’s international capacity increase to above 90% of pre-Covid levels by the end of the year and full recovery by the middle of 2024.
Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson said: “This route has been on our wish list for a while and we think customers will be as pleased as we are to see it go on sale today.
“Our direct flights to London and Rome have been hugely popular and Paris is the next most-requested destination, so we know the demand for this service will be strong as well.
“Some of the first customers on these flights will be Australian athletes heading to Paris to compete at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We’re the only airline offering these direct flights rather than going through a mid-point because the key market we serve is Australia. Our in-flight service is designed with long-haul travel in mind.
“The schedule we’ve announced today will add more than 75,000 seats between Australia and Europe each year and we’ll be working with Tourism WA to help make the most of the opportunity to bring tourists here, knowing that direct flights are a big factor in people deciding where to travel.”