Qantas is primed to resume flights to New York for the first time since 2020, having received new 787 Dreamliner aircraft to service the route, and offering a selection of unique in-flight customer features.
Starting from 14 June, Australia’s national airline will launch three weekly flights from Sydney to New York, ramping up to four weekly flights from October. Uniquely, the flight will make a stopover in Auckland before continuing its 17+ hour direct journey to New York, differing from the previous route that transited via Los Angeles.
This step towards reintroducing the New York flights nudges Qantas closer to achieving their goal of restoring their international network to full pre-COVID capacity by March 2024.
Markus Svensson, Qantas Group’s Chief Customer Officer, highlighted that New York is a sought-after destination among Australians for both leisure and business travel. To celebrate Qantas’ comeback to the city, several customer-centric initiatives have been launched.
“Qantas is one of the few airlines in the world to provide Business Class passengers with complimentary pyjamas, and we’re excited to launch a limited edition pyjama and amenity kit range in partnership with leading Australian fashion designer Rebecca Vallance,” said Mr Svensson.
Exclusive Pajama and Amenity Kit Designed by Australian Fashion Designer
Business Class passengers on the New York flight will have the opportunity to enjoy a limited-time offering – a navy sleepwear set adorned with the Qantas “Roo” monogram and the Rebecca Vallance logo, plus unique accents like the flight numbers QF3 and QF4 and a distinctive New York heart design.
Passengers will also receive a unique Rebecca Vallance amenity kit, which includes a matching eyeshade in lieu of the Koskela amenity kit being offered across the international network.
A limited amount of these collector’s sleepwear and amenity kit sets will be up for grabs on Qantas Marketplace for $69 (plus delivery) or 12,000 Qantas Points (plus delivery).
Rebecca Vallance expressed her excitement to fuse her love for travel and fashion in the unique Qantas design, drawing inspiration from the elegance and style of New York.
“It’s an honour to partner with the iconic Australian brand that is Qantas. New York has always felt like a second home to me, and I’m so proud to be working with the national carrier to offer travellers some keepsake PJ’s and amenity kits to enjoy long after they have landed,” said Vallance.
“We curated the bespoke Rebecca Vallance design as an homage to one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting cities, with inspiration from our latest collection ‘Avenue Astoria’.”
As part of this collaboration, Vallance also crafted two one-off couture dresses featuring metallic Italian fabric and Art Deco inspired designs. Qantas Frequent Flyers making a Rebecca Vallance purchase will have a chance to win these designer dresses and a personalized fitting session.
Other Australian and international designers such as Peter Morrissey and Martin Grant have previously designed exclusive Qantas pyjamas. Meanwhile, Marc Newson, Kate Spade, Koskela, and several Australian artists, including First Nations artists, have designed amenity kits that include Li’Tya skincare products.
New York inspired Neil Perry menu items
Qantas Creative Director Food, Beverage and Service, Neil Perry has created a range of New York inspired dishes to be added to the inflight menu to coincide with the launch of the new route. It comes on top of a recently revamped menu offering.
“New York is one of the culinary capitals of the world, from its much-loved street food to its internationally revered fine dining Michelin starred restaurants. We are using some amazing Australian produce to put our own spin on some of New York’s most famous food experiences,” said Mr. Perry.
“From a Reuben sandwich and a classic hot dog to New York style spaghetti and meatballs and General Tso chicken, New York does food its own way and the result is a melting pot of amazing flavours which we are excited to incorporate across our menus.”
New York inspired menu items across QF3, QF4 premium cabins
New York style spaghetti and meatballs
Classic Reuben sandwich
NY bagel with lox, cream cheese, capers and lemon
General Tso chicken with smashed cucumber salad, steamed rice and broccolini
Classic beef hot dog with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard
Seared beef fillet with creamed spinach and baked potato with sour cream and chives
Pecan pie with crème fraiche
New York style baked cheesecake with blueberry compote
The Qantas First Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne and the Auckland International Lounge will feature a New York inspired dish of the day for the month of June, along with Manhattan Spritz and Garibaldi cocktails.
