The Qantas A380. Qantas photo.
Qantas Airways has stolen the thunder from its partner Emirates by announcing that it will launch an Airbus A380 service to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) a couple of days before the world’s largest operator of the superjumbo does.
“Qantas customers travelling on the popular Sydney-Dallas/Fort Worth route will soon be able to enjoy the world’s largest passenger aircraft on the world’s longest route,” the Australian carrier said Wednesday.
The A380 will replace a Qantas Boeing 747 as of Sept. 29.
Models of the Emirates and Qantas A380s.
Emirates, which operate 47 superjumbos, announced early last month that its A380 service will begin Oct. 1.
That was supposed to be the first scheduled A380 service to the airport, where the airline had been operating a daily service since 2012, using a Boeing 777.
“On Oct. 1, the world’s largest passenger aircraft will touch down at DFW with a daily service between Dallas/Fort Worth, the world’s fourth busiest airport, and the city of Dubai (DXB),” the airline said in announcing the service.
“Dallas/Fort Worth will become the 28th international destination to which Emirates operates the aircraft, joining New York and Los Angeles which are already served by the A380.” Emirates also operates an A380 to Toronto, three times a week.
Qantas has been flying to the United States since 1954, when it operated a Super Constellation from Sydney to San Francisco, and to Dallas/Fort Worth since 2011. 
“It is the hub for our partner American Airlines and offers more than 30 destinations beyond the west coast of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico on their network,” said CEO Alan Joyce.
“When you combine the A380 with the onward connections available from Dallas, this is a great example of the right aircraft on the right route.”
Qantas will offer six flights a week to Dallas.
The Air Dispatch 