Qantas said today (11 March) it would operate a record 47 services to the United States each week, when it commences new services from Brisbane and Sydney from 27 March.

The new return services will be:
* two per week between Brisbane and Los Angeles from 27 March and 1 April;
* one per week between Sydney and Los Angeles from 30 March; and
* one per week between Sydney and Honolulu from 5 April.

Qantas Executive General Manager, Mr John Borghetti, said the airline was strongly committed to growing its US services.

"This latest increase in capacity confirms our confidence in the growth potential of this important international route," Mr Borghetti said.

"Importantly, the additional services from Brisbane will see Qantas offer a daily, non-stop service between Queensland and California for the first time.

"These additional flights will add around 800 seats each week on the route, providing new travel opportunities for Queenslanders and for Americans visiting Australia."

Mr Borghetti said that in addition to Qantas services between Australia and the US, the airline also offered customers access to an extensive network of US, Canadian and Mexican destinations.

"With our codeshare partners American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air and Mexicana, Qantas customers can connect to 12 destinations in the US, nine in Canada and four in Mexico," he said.

"Qantas also codeshares on LAN services between Sydney and Santiago, Chile, and plans to commence services to a South American destination in its own right by the end of 2008."

Following the commencement of the new US services, Qantas will offer:
* 17 services per week from Sydney to Los Angeles;
* 14 services per week from Melbourne to Los Angeles;
* a daily service from Brisbane to Los Angeles;
* five services per week from Sydney to San Francisco;
* a daily service from Sydney to New York, via Los Angeles; and
* four services per week from Sydney to Honolulu.

"Qantas will further enhance its US services in October, when it operates its first A380 services from Australia to Los Angeles," Mr Borghetti said.