Qantas Flights 7 and 8

Qantas and American Airlines (AA) were two of the co-founding members of the Oneworld airline alliance, which was launched in 1999. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has long been American's headquarters and largest hub and is centrally located in the United States. Dallas is less than four hours flying time from all cities in the continental United States and AA serves more of these airports from DFW than from Los Angeles, Qantas's main gateway to the United States. Los Angeles is also an AA hub, but is significantly smaller in terms of departures and destinations and located 4–5 hours flying time from most east coast cities. In 2012, American operated nearly 500 departing flights daily from DFW, but fewer than 100 from Los Angeles.{{cite web |title=(AA) American Airlines Scorecard |url=http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airline/airlineScorecard.do?airlineCode=AA |website=Flightstats |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130141936/http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airline/airlineScorecard.do?airlineCode=AA |archive-date=30 November 2012}} Dallas would be a logical destination for Qantas to serve, but it only had six aircraft with the {{convert|13804|km|adj=on}} range needed to reach Dallas and they were needed for the Melbourne-Los Angeles and Sydney-Buenos Aires routes. The Boeing 747-400ER has a range of {{convert|14205|km|mi}},{{cite web |title=Technical Characteristics -- Boeing 747-400ER |url=http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/747family/pf/pf_400er_prod.page |website=Boeing |access-date=29 September 2014}} although winds aloft and fuel needed for holding can trim that figure.

Qantas had studied the feasibility of the Dallas route for years.{{cite web |title=Qantas to fly world's longest 747 route |url=http://www.traveller.com.au/qantas-to-fly-worlds-longest-747-route-1a7py |website=Traveller.com.au |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=28 January 2011}} At the time of the Great Recession, Qantas' Sydney-San Francisco service became unprofitable, while an open skies agreement between Australia & the US flooded the market with more capacity.{{cite web |title=United Airlines' 787 Australia announcement marks the 5th anniversary of US open skies agreement |url=http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/united-airlines-787-australia-announcement-marks-the-5th-anniversary-of-us-open-skies-agreement-153959 |website=Centre for Aviation |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=3 March 2014}} In the meantime, the Boeing 747-400ER aircraft were replaced with A380s on the Melbourne-LA route. According to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce: "a lot of things clicked on this and it made absolute sense for us to devote aircraft resources to this destination." By flying to Dallas, Qantas can offer passengers a 70-minute connection to domestic flights, which means onwards connections to cities like New York City, Chicago, Boston, and Miami can be up to two hours faster than transiting through Los Angeles. At launch, Qantas had codeshare agreements on 54 AA flights from DFW to cities in the US, Canada, & Mexico. When announcing the launch of A380 service, Qantas notes that DFW offers more than 30 codeshare destinations beyond the network available from Los Angeles. Dallas' geographical location in the United States is convenient for citizens of Australia eager to travel to Minneapolis, Detroit, Omaha, and/or Montana, to make a quick connection in Texas to access these states. According to Qantas in 2014, the most popular destinations for connections with QF7 are Orlando, Boston, Houston, Dallas and New York's LaGuardia Airport.{{cite news |last1=Flynn |first1=David |title=Qantas begins Airbus A380 flights to Dallas |url=http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-to-start-airbus-a380-flights-to-dallas-from-september |access-date=29 September 2014 |work=Australian Business Traveller |date=29 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929003006/http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-to-start-airbus-a380-flights-to-dallas-from-september |archive-date=29 September 2014}}

In March 1974, Qantas launched Flights 7 outbound and 8 returning, between Sydney and London Heathrow Airport, via Melbourne, Perth and Bombay. Initially, Qantas operated the flight pair three times each week using Boeing 747-200Bs, with a journey time of approximately 20 hours. The two flights were promoted as a faster alternative to the daily flight pair of Flight 1 outbound and Flight 2 inbound, also then operated by 747-200B aircraft, but with two or three stops between London and Australia. At the time, Qantas claimed that Flight 8 was the fastest service from London to Sydney of any airline.{{cite web |title=100 Years Of Qantas In The UK: The Boeing 747 Era |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2020/11/12/qantas-uk-history-boeing-747/ |website=London Air Travel |access-date=27 August 2021 |date=12 November 2020}}

During the 1980s, Qantas developed hubs on the Kangaroo Route in Singapore and later Bangkok.{{cite journal |last1=Rimmer |first1=Peter J. |title=Australia Through the Prism of Qantas: Distance Makes a Comeback |journal=Otemon Journal of Australian Studies |date=2005 |volume=31 |pages=135-157, at 149 |url=https://www.i-repository.net/contents/outemon/ir/501/501051212.pdf |access-date=27 August 2021}} By the mid-1980s, Melbourne/Sydney to London flights had reverted to a daily Flight 1/Flight 2 service only, and Qantas was operating other Australia to Europe services, hubbed through Singapore or Bangkok, to Amsterdam, Athens, Belgrade, Frankfurt, Manchester and Rome. Under that hubbing arrangement, Flight 7/Flight 8 was cut back to four days per week Perth to Singapore service, still operated by 747-200Bs.{{cite web |title=1985/86: QANTAS Network |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/99908/198586-qantas-network/ |website=Routes online |publisher=Informa |access-date=27 August 2021 |date=11 February 2011}}

Qantas eventually abandoned its hub in Singapore, after entering into an alliance with Emirates. Under the new alliance, Qantas operated flights between Australia and London via Dubai, which became a hub for Qantas/Emirates codeshare services to and from other destinations in Europe.{{cite web |title=Why has Qantas axed Dubai & returned to the Singapore Kangaroo Route? |url=https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/news-events/news/why-has-qantas-axed-dubai-returned-singapore-kangaroo-route |website=UNSW – Business School |access-date=27 August 2021}}

File:Qantas VH-OEE at DFW.jpg previously operated by Qantas parked at Terminal D of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.]]

Qantas began operating the Sydney-Dallas route—designated Flight 7 outbound and Flight 8 returning—on 16 May 2011.{{cite web |last=Farris |first=Brandon |title=Qantas Begins Flights Between Sydney and Dallas, Longest 747 Route Ever |url=http://www.nycaviation.com/2011/05/qantas-begins-flights-between-sydney-and-dallas-longest-747-route-ever/#.UpECytJDvis |website=NYC Aviation |access-date=23 November 2013 |date=2011-05-16}}{{Cite web |title=QANTAS to launch Dallas service and cancels San Francisco from May 2011 |website=Airline Route |date=14 January 2011 |url=http://airlineroute.net/2011/01/14/qf-sfodfw-s11/ |access-date=23 January 2011}} The route was initially flown 4 times weekly, but was upgraded to daily service on 1 July 2012.{{cite web |last1=Flynn |first1=David |title=Qantas does Dallas (daily) with upgraded Boeing 747s |url=http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-does-dallas-daily-with-upgraded-747s |website=Australian Business Traveller |access-date=28 September 2014 |date=8 May 2012}} Flight 7, from Sydney to Dallas, flew non-stop in 15 hr 25 min. Due to strong headwinds, Flight 8 could not be flown non-stop and flew from Dallas to Brisbane Airport before returning to Sydney.{{cite news |last=McCartney |first=Scott |title=The World's Longest Flight, in Coach |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203735304577168982939061916 |access-date=27 November 2013 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=January 19, 2012}} Flights 7 & 8 were operated with a Boeing 747-400ER aircraft from 2011 until 28 September 2014.

When launched as a service to Dallas, Flight 7 was the longest regularly scheduled non-stop flight by distance operated by a Boeing 747{{cite news |last=O'Sullivan |first=Kay |title=Qantas jumbo haul: flying the world's longest 747 route |url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/qantas-jumbo-haul-flying-the-worlds-longest-747-route-20110519-1euh8.html |access-date=23 November 2013 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=19 May 2011}} and the third-longest regularly scheduled non-stop commercial flight by distance{{efn|name=distance}}—behind Singapore Airlines Flights 21/22 (Newark-Singapore; 15,345 km) and Singapore Airlines Flights 37/38 (Los Angeles-Singapore; 14,114 km). However, unlike the Qantas Boeing 747-400ER, the Singapore Airlines flights were flown with Airbus A340-500 aircraft configured with an all-business class cabin that carried only 100 passengers.{{cite press release | url = http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/03-04-2008/0004767056&EDATE=# | title = Singapore Airlines to Launch First All-Business Class Flights From USA to Asia | publisher = Singapore Airlines}}

Qantas Flight 7 became the second-longest regularly-scheduled non-stop commercial flight by distance when Singapore Airlines stopped flying non-stop between Singapore & Los Angeles on 20 October 2013. The final Singapore Airlines flight from Newark to Singapore departed 23 November 2013, at which point Qantas Flight 7 became the longest regularly scheduled non-stop flight by distance.{{efn|name=distance}}{{cite web |last=Flynn |first=David |title=Qantas claims "world's longest flight" for Sydney-Dallas route |url=http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-claims-world-s-longest-flight-for-sydney-dallas-route |website=Australian Business Traveler |access-date=27 November 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Bachman |first1=Justin |title=The End of the World's Longest Nonstop Flights |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-21/singapore-airlines-ends-longest-commercial-flights-from-newark-and-los-angeles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022014604/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-21/singapore-airlines-ends-longest-commercial-flights-from-newark-and-los-angeles |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 October 2013 |access-date=28 September 2014 |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=21 October 2013}} It held this distinction until 1 March 2016, when Emirates began a 14,203 km non-stop service, EK 448 and EK 449, between Auckland, New Zealand and Dubai, UAE.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2016/03/01/emirates-overtakes-qantas-worlds-longest-flight/81120884/ |title=Emirates overtakes Qantas for world's longest flight |last=Mutzabaugh |first=Ben |newspaper=USA Today |date=2016-03-01 |access-date=2016-04-18}}

The route suffered some setbacks during the first two weeks of operation, which called into question its feasibility.{{cite web |last1=Wayne |first1=Dan |title=Dumping luggage at Dallas: what choice did Qantas have but to leave baggage behind? |url=http://www.ausbt.com.au/dumping-luggage-at-dallas-what-choice-did-qantas-have-but-to-leave-baggage-behind |website=Australian Business Traveller |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=25 May 2011}}{{cite web |last1=Warne |first1=Dan |title=Qantas leaves baggage behind in Dallas... deliberately |url=http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-leaves-baggage-behind-in-dallas-deliberately |website=Australian Business Traveller |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=24 May 2011}}{{cite web |title=Qantas Confident About Dallas Flights |url=http://www.wcarn.com/cache/news/14/14328.html |website=World Civil Aviation Resource Network |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=31 May 2011}} On 21 May 2011, less than a week after commencing operations on the route, Qantas offloaded three containers of luggage in Dallas in order to reach Brisbane without the need to make an unplanned stop for fuel. Affected passengers waited 24 hours for their luggage to arrive via Los Angeles. Qantas claimed they were forced to make the decision "due to load restrictions as a result of unseasonably strong winds." On 23 May, Flight 7 was forced to divert to Houston because it lacked enough fuel to circle Dallas until thunderstorms—typical during summertime—cleared, resulting in a two-hour delay. Then on 30 May, Flight 8 made an unplanned stop in Nouméa, New Caledonia, when its pilots decided it was safer to stop and refuel there then continue on to Brisbane.{{cite web |last1=Heasley |first1=Andrew |title=Too far: Qantas 747 forced to land for more fuel on Dallas route |url=http://www.traveller.com.au/too-far-qantas-747-forced-to-land-for-more-fuel-on-dallas-route-1fdl1 |website=Traveller.com.au |access-date=29 September 2014 |date=31 May 2011}}

File:Qantas A380-842 (VH-OQL) parked at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.jpg

In May 2014, Qantas announced that Flight 7 and Flight 8 would be operated by the Airbus A380 beginning 29 September 2014, at which point Flight 8's intermediate stop in Brisbane would be terminated. Although frequency was reduced from seven to six flights per week, the larger capacity of the A380 results in an increase in weekly capacity on the route of more than ten percent. The A380s are configured into four classes, and brings the addition of first class to the route.{{cite web |title=Qantas Customers to Experience World-Class A380 Services to Dallas/Fort Worth |url=http://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-customers-to-experience-world-class-a380-services-to-dallasfort-worth |website=Qantas News Room |access-date=7 May 2014}}

The first A380 aircraft to operate Flight 7/8 sported a special livery: the kangaroo painted on the aircraft's empennage (tail) wore a white cowboy hat and star-speckled blue kerchief around its neck. The airplane also sported a commemorative seal with the tagline “G’Day Texas.” The hat and kerchief pay homage to the Dallas region's strong association with cowboy culture and the red background, white kangaroo/hat, and star-speckled blue are suggestive of the US flag. With the change in aircraft, Qantas became the first airline to operate an A380 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, although Emirates began flying the A380 to DFW just 2 days later.{{cite news |last1=Maxon |first1=Terry |title=Qantas will begin flying the Airbus A380 to Dallas/Fort Worth in late September |url=http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/qantas-will-begin-flying-the-airbus-a380-to-dallasfort-worth-in-late-september.html/ |access-date=28 September 2014 |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |date=7 May 2014}}

The following year on 13 April, Qantas flight 7 diverted to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport because there were no available airports nearby and the weather in Dallas wasn't suitable for the plane. However, after a few hours in Phoenix, the weather at Dallas improved and the flight departed Phoenix to continue onto Dallas.{{Cite tweet |author=Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport |user=PHXSkyHarbor |number=1117130654003548160 |date=13 April 2019 |title=Happy to host the Qantas A380 @PHXSkyHarbor as it waits out the weather}}

Due in part to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Qantas suspended most of their international flights in early 2020. QF7/QF8 was suspended in April 2020 until its resumption in February 2022.{{Cite web |title=Qantas returns to Dallas, ramps up international flights from Brisbane |url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/02/qantas-returns-to-dallas-ramps-up-international-flights-from-brisbane/ |access-date=2022-02-22 |website=Australian Aviation |date=14 February 2022 |language=en-AU}} Qantas announced in their 3 year post-COVID-19 recovery plan, that the A380 fleet was to remain grounded until 2023 at the earliest and "The Boeing 787-9 will become Qantas' international workhorse."{{Cite web |title=Qantas to mothball all Airbus A380s until at least 2023 |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-a380-retirement |access-date=2021-05-23 |website=Executive Traveller |date=25 June 2020 |language=en}}

QF7/QF8 resumed on 16 February 2022 operated by 787-9s for all upcoming scheduled flights.{{Cite web |title=Bound for Texas: Qantas heads back to Dallas Fort Worth |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/bound-for-texas-qantas-heads-back-to-dallas-fort-worth |access-date=2022-02-22 |website=Executive Traveller|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=QF7 Flight Schedule |url=https://info.flightmapper.net/route/Qantas_QF_SYD_DFW |website=Flightmapper.net}}{{Cite tweet |author=Qantas Airways USA |user=QantasUSA |number=1494156640534155264 |date=17 February 2022 |title=Some special guests were ready and waiting to welcome passengers at @DFWAirport - Our first flight to Dallas in almost two years! |access-date=24 February 2022}}

Qantas Flight 7 operates from Sydney Airport {{Airport codes|SYD}} near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport {{Airport codes|DFW}} near the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas, USA. Qantas Flight 8 is the return flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Sydney. Through a codeshare agreement with American Airlines, these flights are marketed as American Airlines Flight 7261 (AA7261){{cite web |title=American Airlines flight AA 7261: Sydney - Dallas/Ft. Worth |url=http://info.flightmapper.net/route/American_Airlines_AA_SYD_DFW |access-date=22 Feb 2022 |website=Flightmapper.net}} and American Airlines Flight 7262 (AA7262),{{cite web |title=American Airlines flight AA 7262: Dallas/Ft. Worth - Sydney |url=http://info.flightmapper.net/route/American_Airlines_AA_DFW_SYD |access-date=22 Feb 2022 |website=Flightmapper.net}} respectively. It is one of only two non-stop routes between Australia and a US city beyond the west coast (Los Angeles or San Francisco), the other being United flights 100 and 101, which operate between Houston and Sydney.{{cite web |url=http://newsroom.united.com/2017-09-07-United-Airlines-Strengthens-Commitment-to-Houston-with-Nonstop-Service-Between-Houston-and-Sydney |title=United Airlines Strengthens Commitment to Houston with Nonstop Service Between Houston and Sydney |website=United Airlines |language=en |date=7 September 2017 |access-date=8 April 2018}} The flights originally operated six times weekly (every day except Tuesday). but moved to daily flights from April 2016{{Cite web |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/growth-on-asia-and-network-changes/ |title=Media Releases - Growth To Asia and Network Changes |website=Qantas News Room|language=en |access-date=2017-09-02}} The A380 aircraft initially deployed on this route are configured in a four-class seating with a 14-seat first class cabin, a 64-seat business class cabin, a 35-seat premium economy cabin, and a 371-seat economy class cabin.{{cite web |title=Qantas Airbus A380 Seat Map |url=http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qantas_Airways/Qantas_Airways_Airbus_A380_B.php |website=SeatGuru |access-date=7 May 2014}}

Because of the difference in local times, Flight 7 departs Sydney, Flight 7 arrives in Dallas/Fort Worth, and Flight 8 departs Dallas/Fort Worth on the same day (local time). Since Flight 8 is both an overnight flight and crosses the International Date Line, it arrives in Sydney two days after departing Dallas/Fort Worth. For example, Flights 7/8 departing Sydney on 16 February 2022 was scheduled to fly (local times in bold):

Qantas Flight 8 from Dallas to Sydney—with a scheduled duration of 16 hours, 45 minutes—is one of the longest regularly scheduled non-stop commercial flights by scheduled duration.

• Longest flights
• Flight distance records
• Singapore Airlines Flights 21 and 22

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