DFW International Airport Welcomes New Qantas Airways Service to Sydney and Brisbane, Australia

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May 16, 2011, 07:26 ET

Renowned international carrier begins first nonstop passenger connection from Texas to Australia with greeting from Hollywood superstar John Travolta and Australia's Ambassador to the U.S.

DFW AIRPORT, Texas, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport today welcomed the inaugural Qantas Airways flight from Sydney, Australia to Dallas-Fort Worth. Qantas flight 7 was saluted by a water cannon "shower of affection" from the DFW Department of Public Safety and passengers were welcomed by legendary actor and pilot John Travolta, who serves as an ambassador at-large for Qantas.

"We are very excited at the arrival of Qantas Airways here at DFW," said Jeff Fegan, Chief Executive Officer of DFW International Airport. "This flight really is a game-changer. The Qantas service opens up an entirely new part of the world to DFW passengers, giving American travelers unprecedented access to Australia and the entire South Pacific region."

The inaugural flight was celebrated with a ceremony and press conference inside DFW's International Terminal D, and included remarks from Australia's ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Kim Beazley, and Wally R. Mariani, Qantas' Senior Vice President for the Americas and the Pacific.

"Not only is Dallas/Fort Worth an outstanding destination in its own right, it is also the largest hub of our partner American Airlines, which means we can now offer passengers many additional options to connect conveniently to and from other cities throughout the rest of the United States, Canada and Mexico," said Mr. Mariani. "Because Qantas is a one world Alliance partner, Qantas will offer codeshare benefits with passengers of American Airlines and other one world partners."

Mr. Travolta individually greeted incoming passengers as they came off the inaugural flight, surprising and delighting them by shaking hands and posing for photos. Later at the press conference, he said the union of Qantas and DFW would make a tremendous partnership.

"I think that DFW is the highest quality airport in our country, and Qantas is empirically the highest quality airline in the world, and I think the marriage of these two entities is brilliant," Mr. Travolta said.

The new Qantas flight operates four times a week with three-class service on Boeing 747-400 aircraft, and includes a stop in Brisbane on the return leg from DFW to Sydney.

The new service is expected to generate approximately $130 million in annual economic impact for the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

About DFW International Airport

Located halfway between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW International Airport is the world's third busiest, offering nearly 1,800 flights per day and serving 57 million passengers a year. DFW provides non-stop service to 146 domestic and 46 international destinations worldwide. For four consecutive years, DFW has ranked in the top five for customer service among large airports worldwide in surveys conducted by Airports Council International. For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability or further details regarding the many services provided at DFW International Airport, log on to www.dfwairport.com.

(re)defining DFW International Airport

DFW International Airport has embarked on the $1.9 billion Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program (TRIP) to renovate DFW's four original passenger terminals, which first opened in 1974. Scheduled for completion in 2017, the TRIP project includes renewed infrastructure and modernization of passenger spaces, renovations that will (re)define DFW for the next 30 to 40 years. For the latest details regarding TRIP, log on to www.dfwairport.com/redefine.

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