Qantas keeps Perth–London and Sydney–Paris flights on Singapore detour until 2027

Qantas has confirmed that its flagship ultra-long-haul services to London and Paris will continue to avoid Middle-East airspace and operate via Singapore at least until 31 January 2027. The decision, published in updated timetables on 19 October 2026, follows risk assessments that deem Gulf overflights too volatile amid ongoing regional conflicts. Flight QF209 (Perth–Singapore–London) and QF255 (Sydney–Singapore–Paris) will therefore stick with their two-sector routing, adding around 90 minutes to block times but offering passengers a break at Changi Airport. For Australian corporates the extension has mixed implications. On the upside, the Singapore stop simplifies crew-change logistics and creates new same-day meeting opportunities in the city-state for travellers en route to Europe. However, the detour reduces Qantas’ payload, trimming premium-cabin seat availability during the peak Christmas period and driving yields higher. Travel-procurement managers are already reporting fare increases of 8-12 per cent on the affected routes compared with October 2025. The airline warns that its Business and First lounges at Changi will face “congestion pressures” because QF1 (Sydney–Singapore–London) overlaps with the detoured services. Companies with large travel volumes are being advised to negotiate lounge-access alternatives—such as Qatar Airways’ Premium Lounge—to maintain productivity during the transit stop. Cargo operators also feel the impact: the additional sector marginally reduces belly-hold freight capacity for high-priority pharmaceutical consignments that rely on the non-stop Perth–London sector’s cold-chain integrity. Forwarders may need to shift sensitive loads to dedicated freighter services or alternative routings via Dubai once conditions stabilise. Qantas says it will reassess the routing in late January but hints that a full return to non-stop operations could be deferred further if geopolitical tensions persist. Travellers booked on affected flights after 24 October 2026 can change dates or request refunds without fees, but only until 30 November 2026.