Australia’s Perth Aviation Boom Accelerates as Qantas Adds Training, Fleet Upgrades and Jetstar Growth

The Qantas Group has opened a new Jetstar cabin crew base and Emergency Procedures Training Centre in Perth, while the first upgraded QantasLink aircraft has been prepared for service in Western Australia. Announced in October 2026, the investments are intended to support local employment, improve safety training and strengthen connections across Australia and the Asia Pacific.

The Qantas expansion in Perth brings together new crew roles, modernised aircraft and increased flying, including a forthcoming Christchurch service. For travellers, the developments highlight how Perth is being positioned for a larger role within the Group’s domestic and international operations over coming years.

Jetstar’s Perth Crew Base Expands Local Employment

Jetstar’s new cabin crew base began operating in October with 40 employees. That initial workforce is planned to rise to 90 locally based positions as operations grow. The facility has been established to support additional flying from Perth, keeping more crew resources close to the services they operate.

By locating cabin crew in Perth, the airline is building the staffing capacity needed for its growing network, while new recruits are being prepared through local training. The latest appointments are already attending ground school at the Group’s newly opened training facility.

The base forms part of a wider programme involving Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar. Its significance lies in the combination of jobs and network capacity. The company has identified Western Australia as one of its major growth markets, with Perth expected to take on an increasingly important international role.

Christchurch Launch and Melbourne Flights Broaden Travel Choice

New Jetstar flights from Perth to Christchurch are scheduled to begin on 27 October 2026, adding a direct link between Western Australia and New Zealand. More than 30,000 low-fare seats are to be offered across the operating season. The new crew base will support this route alongside the airline’s wider programme.

Domestic capacity is also being increased. During the summer holiday period, up to four return flights a day are planned between Perth and Melbourne. The additional services will expand the number of scheduled travel options on one of Jetstar’s established domestic connections.

These changes place Jetstar flights from Perth at the centre of the airline’s network developments in the state. For Western Australia travel, the Christchurch launch adds another international destination, while increased Melbourne frequencies provide more choice for domestic journeys. Both initiatives support the Group’s stated ambition to develop the Perth international gateway, although no wider route launch timetable has been detailed in the announcement.

Purpose-Built Aviation Training Facility Serves More Than 1,200 Staff

More than 1,200 employees from Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar are expected to receive Emergency Procedures training at the new Perth centre each year. Training for existing staff and future recruits has been brought together in a facility that combines classroom instruction with practical exercises.

The equipment includes a virtual reality training area, door trainers for Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft and Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft, an A321 narrow-body trainer, escape slides and rafts. An Embraer E190 training device is due to be installed in early 2027 as QantasLink prepares to introduce that aircraft type into service.

The centre gives crews based in the west access to emergency training without needing to travel to eastern Australia for those sessions. Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson has identified this local capability as an important part of supporting operational growth across all three airlines. The investment also links Perth aviation growth with the development of a locally trained aviation workforce.

Fleet Renewal Strengthens Services Linked to the Resources Sector

Aircraft improvements are being carried out alongside the employment and training investments. The first Embraer E190 allocated to QantasLink’s Perth operations arrived in September 2026, while 19 Perth-based Airbus A320 aircraft are receiving Wi-Fi, upgraded seats and cabin enhancements.

The first A320 upgrade has been completed, with the aircraft scheduled to return to service during the week of the announcement in October. These aircraft are used in operations serving Western Australia’s resources sector, where the Group is investing in onboard facilities as well as its local operating base.

Hudson has said Perth is expected to become the Group’s second-largest international gateway after Sydney over the coming years. Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has also welcomed the investment for its contribution to training capacity, skilled employment and the state’s aviation, tourism and trade position. These developments connect Western Australia travel with the longer-term plan for the Perth international gateway.

Perth’s Growing Role in the Qantas Network

The Qantas expansion in Perth combines three connected priorities: locally based jobs, emergency training and aircraft upgrades. Jetstar’s crew base is expected to grow from 40 to 90 positions, while the new centre is designed to train more than 1,200 airline employees annually.

The Christchurch launch and added Melbourne services will increase scheduled travel options, supported by work on QantasLink aircraft used in the west. Together, the measures demonstrate how Perth aviation growth is being supported through staffing, facilities and fleet investment. They also underline the Group’s stated intention to make Western Australia a larger part of its overall network.