Qantas to start direct flights to Dallas
Jan. 13, 2011, 6:46 p.m. EST 

By Sarah Turner AU:QAN QUBSF AMR SYDNEY (MarketWatch) -- Australian airline Qantas Airways Ltd. /quotes/comstock/22x!e:qan (AU:QAN 2.51, -0.01, -0.40%) /quotes/comstock/11i!qubsf (QUBSF 2.55, +0.08, +3.24%) said Friday that it will start direct flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from May 16.

Qantas will operate four direct flights per week using Boeing 747 aircraft. Dallas is the primary hub of Qantas alliance partner, American Airlines, owned by AMR Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!amr/quotes/nls/amr (AMR 8.56, +0.12, +1.42%) , and the Australian airline said Friday that the carriers will seek to expand their commercial relationship with 13 new U.S. destinations and three Mexican destinations expected to be added added to the Qantas network through new American Airlines-operated codeshare services.

At the same time American Airlines-owned tour operator AAVacations will look to launch a range of Australian and Asia-Pacific land, air and integrated vacations for the U.S. market. Direct Qantas flights between Sydney and San Francisco will be discontinued on May 14 but the airline will increase the frequency of Los Angeles-New York flights, it said.