Australia’s national carrier Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) is deploying internationally configured wide-body aircraft, including its Boeing 747 aircraft, on domestic Perth routes. The move comes as Virgin is poised to launch Airbus A330 services to Perth as part of its plan to snare a bigger slice of the corporate market.

The Flying Kangaroo said it will make a number of key changes to services operating in and out of Perth over the coming months, which will increase capacity by more than 4300 seats each week. Sydney-Perth - B747-400 aircraft will operate six round trips per week from May and internationally configured Airbus 330 services will also be increased from three round trips per week to five. Combined, these changes will add more than 500 additional seats per week.

Brisbane-Perth - domestic wide-body A330-200 services will be introduced on seven round trips a week in addition to the upgrading of six round trip B737 services with wide-body aircraft. This will add more than 1700 seats to the route. Melbourne-Perth - more than 2100 additional seats will be added each week, including three services operated by internationally configured A330 aircraft. Qantas’ new A330s will also be reconfigured to provide more space and comfort for passengers in the Business cabin.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the changes were a direct response to the growing demand for travel to Perth particularly from business passengers.

“Increasing the premium service we provide business customers flying from east to west will help further cement our position as the ‘Best for Business’ airline,” Mr Joyce said.

“Passengers in both cabins of the Boeing 747 between Perth and Sydney will experience Qantas’ globally-renowned international service. Business passengers will experience the Skybed Business Class seats, with passengers in both cabins having personal in-flight entertainment options.

“Our competitors can simply not match the service that Qantas offers, particularly the Skybeds, which provide increased comfort on the longer routes between the eastern states and Perth.

“Today’s announcement increases wide-body aircraft used across the Perth to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane routes to more than 90 per cent and increases total capacity by 15 per cent.”

The changes build on increases in intra-Western Australia capacity in the coming months, including the launch of Perth to Exmouth services and recent the acquisition of resource charter operator, Network Aviation.