Qantas begins preparing and equipping planes for return of international flights in Sydney
Qantas begins preparing and equipping planes for return of international flights in Sydney

Qantas will no longer be operating direct flights to Shanghai as of July 28 due to a decline in passengers.

The move comes only nine months after the airline started operating on the route again in an attempt to take advantage of the post-pandemic spike in traffic.

However, Qantas will still be operating to Hong Kong. Passengers can still reach mainland China via Hong Kong by connecting with partner airlines, according to Flight Global.

Even while the total number of flights between China and Australia has decreased by 20% to almost pre-pandemic levels, the number of passengers is still 30% less than it was before COVID-19. Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace stated that as a result, the flights on the itinerary were only partially full, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

"We're always looking to ensure that we have the right aircraft, on the right routes and at the right time of year to best meet the needs of our customers," Wallace said. "We'll continue to maintain a presence in China through our partners and our existing flights to Hong Kong and look to return to Shanghai in the future."

The airline started operating again in October 2023 after China loosened its strict travel restrictions, but demand hasn't increased as predicted. With this suspension, the sole direct route to China that was reopened following the epidemic comes to an end.

Qantas is now starting a new direct route from Brisbane to Manila -- with four weekly flights -- to close the gap. Brisbane gets two additional flights and Sydney gets three more, with service expansions going to major Asian destinations like Bengaluru and Singapore.