New MEL-NRT Capacity in December~March (QF49)

[encryptededdy]

Seems QF has added an additional Japan flight MEL-NRT for the holiday season, first flight 02/12/26, last flight 26/03/27 (end of IATA Winter I guess) on an A332.

Outbound is QF49 2330-0750 (Su, M, W, F), return is QF50 0920-2145 (M, Tu, Th, St).

Lots of I and Q space on these flights, WPs may be able to get some reward seats released (I was looking for releases on this route last week, but gave up and booked a cash flight 3 days ago - you can thank me for Qantas dropping this now )

As far as I can see there's no existing classic awards in Dec/Jan on these flights.

 

[Saab34]

I assume this is the BNE-SIN capacity being moved.

 

[Dmac59]

I like the idea of daytime flights both ways
QF79 over and QF50 home

 

[elanshin]

I assume this is the BNE-SIN capacity being moved.

More likely SYD-HND shuffling one 330 to MEL-NRT now that the AY bird is taking over one of the pairs.

Just put the 380 on the route so theres more reason to fly from MEL

 

[Mattg]

From 2 December 2026, Qantas will add another MEL-NRT service. QF49 will operate MEL-NRT overnight, while QF50 does NRT-MEL during daylight hours. Operating 4x weekly using an A330-200.

This will operate in addition to the daily QF79/80 service which operates during the day to Narita and back overnight.

Qantas Expands Melbourne – Tokyo Flights in NW26 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0000PDT / 0700GMT 30JUN26 Qantas during Northern winter 2026/27 season plans to expand Melbourne – Tokyo Narita flights, where it plans to operate 11 weekly flights from 02DEC26, instead of 7 weekly. This route is operated by a mix of A330-200/-300 aircraft. QF079 MEL0925 – 1740NRT

www.aeroroutes.com

 

[markis10]

Already discussed New MEL-NRT Capacity in December~March (QF49)

 

[aaa99]

Is this where the aircraft from QF97 (BNE-MNL) is going after that route gets down gauged to A321XLR?

 

[aikman]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

They have a monopoly. No JL or NH services to BNE.

 

[AIRwin]

Official media release:

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-increases-mel-tokyo-adds-seats-tasman-june-2026

 

[Himeno]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

There was a period prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake where the only Qantas flights to Japan were SYD-NRT and PER-NRT with MEL-NRT having been pulled in 2008. ANA wasn't flying to Australia and JAL was flying NRT-SYD and NRT-BNE.
ANA getting the Japanese part of the Australia night slot HND allocation prompted their return to the AU market at a time when JAL was recovering from their bankruptcy and the removal of the BNE flight.

Now, QF has daily flights to TYO from BNE and MEL, twice daily from SYD, seasonal SYD-CTS and this new 4 weekly MEL-NRT
NH has twice daily SYD-HND and 3 or 4 weekly PER-NRT (upgraded to year round from seasonal last year)
JL has daily SYD-HND and 3 weekly MEL-NRT (with seasonal increases)
and whatever JQ is doing to NRT and KIX.

It looks like most of the QF49/50 flights are on days that JL774/773 doesn't operate.

 

[elanshin]

There

There was a period prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake where the only Qantas flights to Japan were SYD-NRT and PER-NRT with MEL-NRT having been pulled in 2008. ANA wasn't flying to Australia and JAL was flying NRT-SYD and NRT-BNE.
ANA getting the Japanese part of the Australia night slot HND allocation prompted their return to the AU market at a time when JAL was recovering from their bankruptcy and the removal of the BNE flight.

Now, QF has daily flights to TYO from BNE and MEL, twice daily from SYD, seasonal SYD-CTS and this new 4 weekly MEL-NRT
NH has twice daily SYD-HND and 3 or 4 weekly PER-NRT (upgraded to year round from seasonal last year)
JL has daily SYD-HND and 3 weekly MEL-NRT (with seasonal increases)
and whatever JQ is doing to NRT and KIX.

It looks like most of the QF49/50 flights are on days that JL774/773 doesn't operate.

Was also that brief period where JQ flew overnight MEL - NRT around 2014 or so. I always thought of it as a precursor for QF to fly the route.

 

[aikman]

I thought that QF/JQ just expected Melbournians to connect in BNE/SYD hence no need for more nonstop flights.