Qantas Returns to Osaka With a Three-Times-a-Week Service to Sydney

Yesterday, December 14, 2017, Qantas launched a direct route between its Sydney base and Osaka Kansai airport in Japan.

QF33/QF34: Sydney – Osaka Kansai and Back

The new flight operates three times a week with the following schedule:

Monday

• QF33 from Sydney to Osaka KIX: depart at 1:25PM, arrive at 9:20PM
• QF34 from Osaka KIX to Sydney: depart at 10:50PM, arrive at 10:40AM the next day

Thursday & Saturday

• QF33 from Sydney to Osaka KIX: depart at 9:30AM, arrive at 5:25PM
• QF34 from Osaka KIX to Sydney: depart at 6:55PM, arrive at 6:45AM the next day

However, starting from March 26, 2018, Qantas plans to shift the Thursday service to Wednesday.

The flights are operated using Airbus A330 aircraft. While the Monday rotation is operated using the smaller A330-200, the other two rotations are scheduled as the A330-300.

Not the First Time for Qantas in Osaka

While the new route is not the first time for Qantas to operate between Sydney and Osaka, it is the first time for the airline to connect the two cities directly. Previously – between 1994 and 1998 – Qantas used to operate a five-times-a-week service from Sydney to Osaka Kansai via Brisbane.

Interestingly, as noted in the airline’s press release, the inaugural flight on the original route – operated on September 4, 1994 – was done using a 747 in the now-gone Wunala Dreaming livery.

Other Osaka – Australia Routes & Qantas’ Presence in Japan

Besides Qantas, its partner Jetstar is also serving Osaka Kansai airport with a daily flight from Cairns.

As for Qantas’ presence in Japan, besides Osaka Kansai, it also operates daily flights on the following three routes:

• Sydney – Tokyo Haneda using Boeing 747-400
• Melbourne – Tokyo Narita using Airbus A330-300
• Brisbane – Tokyo Narita using Airbus A330-300