Qantas is gearing up to restart flights to New York for the first time since 2020, with the airline taking delivery of brand new 787 Dreamliner aircraft to fly the route and releasing a range of special onboard customer items.
From June 14, the national carrier will operate three weekly flights from Sydney to New York, increasing to four per week from October.
The route will, for the first time, transit through Auckland before a 17-plus hour flight direct to New York. The flight previously operated via Los Angeles.
The relaunch of the New York flights brings Qantas closer to returning to 100 per cent of its international network pre-COVID capacity by March 2024.
Qantas Group chief customer officer Markus Svensson says New York is a favourite destination for Australians travelling for both leisure and business, and the airline is launching a number of customer initiatives to herald Qantas’ return to the city.
“Qantas is one of the few airlines in the world to provide business class passengers with complimentary pyjamas, and we’re excited to launch a limited edition pyjama and amenity kit range in partnership with leading Australian fashion designer Rebecca Vallance,” says Markus.
For a limited time, business class customers on the New York route will be offered a navy sleeper suit featuring a monogram of the Qantas “Roo” and Rebecca Vallance logo, incorporating the flight numbers QF3 and QF4 and a bespoke New York heart design.
They will also receive a custom-created Rebecca Vallance amenity kit, with a matching eyeshade instead of the Koskela amenity kit being rolled out across the international network.
A small number of the collectable PJ and amenity kit sets will be available for purchase on Qantas Marketplace for $69 (plus delivery) or 12,000 Qantas Points (plus delivery).
Rebecca says she was excited to combine her passion for travel and fashion to create the one-off Qantas design, inspired by New York’s sophistication and style.
“It’s an honour to partner with the iconic Australian brand that is Qantas. New York has always felt like a second home to me, and I’m so proud to be working with the national carrier to offer travellers some keepsake PJ’s and amenity kits to enjoy long after they have landed.
“We curated the bespoke Rebecca Vallance design as an homage to one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting cities, with inspiration from our latest collection ‘Avenue Astoria’,” she says.
As part of the collaboration, Vallance also created two one-off couture gowns with metallic Italian fabrication and Art Deco inspired patterns. Qantas Frequent Flyers who make a Rebecca Vallance purchase will go into the draw to win the designer dresses and a personalised fitting session.
Other Australian and International designers who have produced exclusive Qantas pyjamas include Peter Morrissey and Martin Grant.
Marc Newson, Kate Spade, Koskela (the current amenity kit) and a number of Australian photographers and artists, including First Nations artists, have created amenity kit designs. The amenity kit features a range of Li’Tya skin care.
Qantas Food, Beverage and Service creative director, Neil Perry has created a range of New York inspired dishes to be added to the inflight menu to coincide with the launch of the new route. It comes on top of a recently revamped menu offering.
“New York is one of the culinary capitals of the world, from its much-loved street food to its internationally revered fine dining Michelin starred restaurants. We are using some amazing Australian produce to put our own spin on some of New York’s most famous food experiences,” says Neil.
“From a Reuben sandwich and a classic hot dog to New York style spaghetti and meatballs and General Tso chicken, New York does food its own way and the result is a melting pot of amazing flavours which we are excited to incorporate across our menus.”
New York inspired menu items across QF3, QF4 premium cabins
New York style spaghetti and meatballs
Classic Reuben sandwich
NY bagel with lox, cream cheese, capers and lemon
General Tso chicken with smashed cucumber salad, steamed rice and broccolini
Classic beef hot dog with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard
Seared beef fillet with creamed spinach and baked potato with sour cream and chives
Pecan pie with crème fraiche
New York style baked cheesecake with blueberry compote
The Qantas First Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne and the Auckland International Lounge will feature a New York inspired dish of the day for the month of June, along with Manhattan Spritz and Garibaldi cocktails.
