Qantas drops Paris

THE Flying Kangaroo will land in just two European cities by the end of this year after a Qantas decision to replace its Paris service with a code-share flight with Air France.
From October 31, Paris-bound Qantas passengers will fly with the Australian airline to Singapore and then transfer to Air France.
The change will give passengers an option of daily flights to the French capital but means regularly scheduled Qantas planes will now be seen only in Frankfurt and London.
France’s loss will be London’s gain, however, with the addition of six weekly flights — three from Perth via Singapore and three from Sydney via Hong Kong.
Paris is the second European destination dropped by Qantas after it pulled out of Rome last year. Like Rome, officials say the airline could not make the Paris route profitable.
“We’ve been trying to increase our rights to France for some time and have been unable to do so,” said Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti. “And operating three services a week it is difficult, even with the best of operations, to make a profit.
“Given the losses, which were significant, we could not sustain (Paris) any longer.”
Qantas operates 52 services a week between Australia and Singapore from all capital cities. Mr Borghetti said the Air France code share would offer “greater choice and flexibility for customers”.
The new London flights will use additional landing and take-off slots bought by Qantas earlier this year and increase the number of weekly services to London from 21 to 27.