When American Airlines and Qantas announced their enhanced joint venture which brought American back to Sydney, added Auckland to their route map, and returned Qantas to San Francisco Qantas CEO Alan Joyce speculated that when they start receiving Boeing 787-9s they could fly Melbourne – Dallas and Sydney – Chicago.

With the Obama administration having indicated plans to reject anti-trust immunity for the joint venture, Qantas ramped up its US lobbying presence in anticipation of American and Qantas re-submitting to the Trump administration.

Now that preparations are underway to actually receive Boeing 787s, there’s more talk of where they’ll go — and somewhat less hedged than the talk should be as in pursuit of their joint venture all prospective US service should be framed as provided a joint venture is approved.

The Department of Justice took the novel approach to the American-Qantas agreement suggesting that to benefit consumers it had to grow service beyond what the Department would expect to happen anyway. Any service that will occur in the absence of a joint venture undermines the case for the JV — at least under the analysis the Department of Transportation was using in the prior administration.

Qantas will be taking delivery of its first four Boeing 787s between mid-October and late February. They’re going to be flying Melbourne – Los Angeles flight with a Boeing 787 as one of the first new routes for the aircraft.

And in a bit of news, they’re planning to take their second four Boeing 787s — arriving between July and November 2018 — and use some of their flying for either Brisbane – Los Angeles or to add a Brisbane – Dallas.

The second four Boeing 787s would replicate this pattern, with Paris tipped as the European destination and an eastbound leg from Brisbane to Dallas or Los Angeles – resulting in a Paris-Perth-Brisbane-USA corridor for the Dreamliners.

Brisbane Domestic – International Connections Bus

I actually suggested that back in November Brisbane – Dallas would be launched provided the joint venture received approval. It’s one of the 3 routes we can expect under the arrangement.

Qantas of course flew Dallas – Brisbane in one direction between 2011 and 2014 when a refueling stop was necessary in one direction for their Sydney service operated by a Boeing 747. This stop was eliminated when Dallas – Sydney moved to an Airbus A380.