Major Aussie airline launches flights from Melbourne to Jakarta

SYDNEY, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Australia's flag carrier Qantas has announced the launch of flights from Melbourne to Jakarta, with year-round flights operating three days per week on Airbus A330 Aircraft.

Adding to existing routes from Sydney to Jakarta, the new service offers passengers a choice of 10 flights per week and almost 300,000 seats between Jakarta and Australia annually.

"We continue to see really strong demand to and from Melbourne, so we're pleased to be expanding our international network with another new route out of Victoria," Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David said on Sunday.

"Jakarta is becoming an increasingly important destination for our corporate travelers. These direct flights offer more choice and make it even easier for them to do business with one of Australia's closest neighbors."

The new service is the fourth international route to be added from Melbourne by the Australian carrier since borders reopened, following the launch of flights to Delhi and Dallas Fort Worth and the resumption of flights from Melbourne to Tokyo last month.

The new route from Melbourne to Jakarta is expected to attract passengers traveling to and from other major Indonesian cities such as Surabaya and Medan.

"The route is also a great opportunity for more Indonesians to explore the best of Victoria or visit family and friends, with the flights launching in time for the Lebaran holiday period," said David.