BA to launch daily flights to Melbourne in 2027

Australia’s largest 24-hour gateway will soon be better connected to the United Kingdom and Europe with British Airways launching daily flights from Melbourne Airport to London Heathrow Airport in January 2027. The United Kingdom’s flag carrier will operate daily services from Melbourne to London via Kuala Lumpur from January 11, with a four-class Boeing Dreamliner 787-9, featuring First, Club World (Business Class), World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) and World Traveller (Economy) cabins. Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said the announcement underscored Melbourne’s place as Australia’s largest and best connected 24-hour gateway. “We are thrilled to welcome British Airways back to Melbourne Airport and we’re incredibly excited about what this extra choice means for travellers and exporters,” she said. “British Airways is one of the world’s most recognisable airlines and in its more than 100 years of flying has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence and reliability. With the largest choice of airlines flying to the UK and Europe, 24-hour operations and the shortest minimum connection time of any Australian airport, Melbourne Airport is now the clear choice for Europeans heading to Australia or Australians looking to travel abroad. London is one of the world’s great global cities and a critical hub for business, tourism and education, while Melbourne was last week voted Time Out’s “best city in the world” as well as being home to the largest British expat community in Australia, so there will be no shortage of two-way demand.” British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff said the airline was confident the new route would prove popular with customers. “We’re delighted to announce sizable growth to our flying schedule for Winter 2026, including a new route to Melbourne,” he said. “We have a long history of connecting Britain and Australia, and we’re excited to be returning to this great city. We’re also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world and together, these changes represent a significant investment in our network, adding even more options and choice for our customers.” From January 9 2027, flight BA33 will depart London Heathrow daily at 21:10pm, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 18:05pm the following day and then into Melbourne at 6:40am the day after. The return flight BA34 will commence from January 11, departing Melbourne Airport at 16:35pm, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 21:35pm and then into London Heathrow at 5:20am the next morning. Vietjet adds Da Nang–Jakarta and Nha Trang–Singapore services Vietjet has announced two new international routes linking Vietnam’s popular coastal destinations Da Nang and Nha Trang with regional hubs Jakarta and Singapore, further enhancing connectivity across Southeast Asia. The Da Nang – Jakarta route is scheduled to commence on April 29, 2026, operating five round-trip flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Vietjet will be the first and only airline operating a nonstop service between Jakarta and Da Nang, bringing the two Southeast Asian destinations just a few hours apart. With the addition of the Da Nang – Jakarta service, Vietjet now operates five routes linking Vietnam and Indonesia, alongside its current connections linking Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi with Bali and Jakarta. The Nha Trang – Singapore route is set to launch on June 1, 2026, with four round-trip flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The service operates at convenient daytime hours, enabling travellers to make the most of their day whether flying from Singapore to Nha Trang or the other way. The new route brings the total number of Vietjet services between Vietnam and Singapore to five, complementing the airline’s existing connections with Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phu Quoc and Da Nang. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]