Qantas launched its inaugural flight to Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) in Port Vila, Vanuatu from Brisbane Airport (BNE) on September 10, 2024.
QF159 was at full capacity and departed Brisbane at 11:37 local time. After an almost three-hour flight, the B737-800 aircraft arrived in Port Vila at 14:59 local time.
The new route will be flown three times per week and, starting December 12, 2024, Jetstar Airways, owned by the Qantas Group, will also offer up to four weekly flights between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Port Vila.
According to Qantas, both airlines will create more than 150,000 new seats each year between Australia and Vanuatu.
According to a February 2024 report by the Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics, Australians make up 39% of international visitor arrivals in the country, followed by European residents at 28%, other Pacific Countries at 9%, and North American visitors at 7%.
71.1% of visitors in Vanuatu arrive for holiday and leisure purposes. The island nation is known for stunning landscapes, shipwrecks from the Second World War, and untouched, uncommercialized beaches.
“We are thrilled to expand our network with the introduction of direct flights between Brisbane and Port Vila. This new route will maintain connectivity between Australia and the South Pacific, opening new opportunities for leisure and business travel to the region,” Qantas Group CEO International Cam Wallace said in a statement.
“With its lush landscapes and crystal blue waters, Vanuatu is a truly remarkable destination and we are proud to offer our customers more ways to experience its natural beauty,” Wallace added.
The inaugural service to Vanuatu follows the launch of Qantas’ flights from Brisbane to Wellington Airport (WLG) in New Zealand and Honiara International Airport (HIR) in the Solomon Islands in October 2023.
The Australian flag carrier also announced it will commence Brisbane to Manila International Airport (MNL) flights starting late October 2024, which will add more than 100,000 seats between Australia and the Philippines each year.
