Southern Cross Route
Encyclopedia
Southern Cross Route is a term for passenger flights from Australasia
to Europe
via the Western Hemisphere
. The Kangaroo route
is its counterpart running through the Eastern Hemisphere
, with many more flights. Both terms were invented by the airlines when they started flying the two routes in the 1940s (Qantas
on the Kangaroo Route, British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
on the Southern Cross), so they have no "official" definitions; probably no airline has ever described its route from Europe to Australasia via South America as "the Southern Cross Route". (And BCPA/Qantas called it the "Southern Cross Route" when it only extended from Australia to Vancouver, before 1958.)
Three airlines offer through flights (i.e. not requiring passengers to change plane en route) on the Southern Cross Route: Air New Zealand
, Air Tahiti Nui
and Air France
.
Air New Zealand
operates the Auckland
-Los Angeles
-London Heathrow
route in addition to its Auckland-Hong Kong
-London Heathrow route, making it the only airline offering services on both the Southern Cross Route and the Kangaroo Route. Air Tahiti Nui
and Air France
both operate a Tahiti
-Los Angeles
-Paris CDG
route.
This makes Air New Zealand
the only operator able to provide a true round-the-world service.
Several other airlines (e.g. United Airlines
and Delta Air Lines
) have route networks extending across the Pacific and Atlantic, but none of them currently offer through flights Europe to Australasia. Air Canada
flies to Sydney
from Vancouver
using the airline's new Boeing 777
aircraft. Connecting flights are available on Air Canada to London Heathrow Airport
, and with Star Alliance
partner Lufthansa
to Frankfurt.
LAN Airlines
operates service from Europe via Santiago to a host of South Pacific destinations, including Sydney and Auckland. Aerolíneas Argentinas
also operates services via Buenos Aires.
In the past, additional service was offered along this route. Air Tahiti Nui briefly operated a Tahiti
-New York JFK
-Paris CDG
route, but it was quickly discontinued. Qantas
once operated flights on this route along with the Kangaroo route
, but it dropped the transatlantic flight in the 1970s.
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
via the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
. The Kangaroo route
Kangaroo route
The Kangaroo Route traditionally refers to air routes flown by Qantas between the countries of Australia and the United Kingdom, via the Eastern Hemisphere. The term is trademarked by Qantas, although it is used in the media and by airline competitors....
is its counterpart running through the Eastern Hemisphere
Eastern Hemisphere
The Eastern Hemisphere, also Eastern hemisphere or eastern hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that is east of the Prime Meridian and west of 180° longitude. It is also used to refer to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, vis-à-vis the Western Hemisphere, which includes...
, with many more flights. Both terms were invented by the airlines when they started flying the two routes in the 1940s (Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
on the Kangaroo Route, British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines or BCPA, was an airline registered in New South Wales, Australia in June 1946 with headquarters in Sydney. It was formed by the governments of Australia , New Zealand and the United Kingdom to pursue trans-Pacific flights...
on the Southern Cross), so they have no "official" definitions; probably no airline has ever described its route from Europe to Australasia via South America as "the Southern Cross Route". (And BCPA/Qantas called it the "Southern Cross Route" when it only extended from Australia to Vancouver, before 1958.)
Three airlines offer through flights (i.e. not requiring passengers to change plane en route) on the Southern Cross Route: Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui is French Polynesia's flag carrier airline with its head office in the Immueble Dexter in Papeete, Tahiti. It operates international services for the low and high-end leisure travel markets. Its main base is Faa'a International Airport, Papeete.- History :Air Tahiti Nui was...
and Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
.
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
operates the Auckland
Auckland International Airport
Auckland Airport is the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand with over 13 million passengers a year, expected to more than double by 2025...
-Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
-London Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
route in addition to its Auckland-Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
-London Heathrow route, making it the only airline offering services on both the Southern Cross Route and the Kangaroo Route. Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui is French Polynesia's flag carrier airline with its head office in the Immueble Dexter in Papeete, Tahiti. It operates international services for the low and high-end leisure travel markets. Its main base is Faa'a International Airport, Papeete.- History :Air Tahiti Nui was...
and Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
both operate a Tahiti
Faa'a International Airport
- Overview :The Faaa International Airport is a relatively small airport. Air Tahiti has flights every day going to all the other islands in French Polynesia while international flights go to different countries such as the United States or New Zealand. The airport is on Tahiti which is an island...
-Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
-Paris CDG
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport , also known as Roissy Airport , in the Paris area, is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle , leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic...
route.
This makes Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
the only operator able to provide a true round-the-world service.
Several other airlines (e.g. United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
) have route networks extending across the Pacific and Atlantic, but none of them currently offer through flights Europe to Australasia. Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
flies to Sydney
Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
from Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to...
using the airline's new Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
aircraft. Connecting flights are available on Air Canada to London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
, and with Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
partner Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
to Frankfurt.
LAN Airlines
LAN Airlines
LAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
operates service from Europe via Santiago to a host of South Pacific destinations, including Sydney and Auckland. Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas , formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and serves as the country's flag carrier. Owned in its majority by the Argentine Government, the airline is headquartered in the Torre Bouchard, located in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires...
also operates services via Buenos Aires.
In the past, additional service was offered along this route. Air Tahiti Nui briefly operated a Tahiti
Faa'a International Airport
- Overview :The Faaa International Airport is a relatively small airport. Air Tahiti has flights every day going to all the other islands in French Polynesia while international flights go to different countries such as the United States or New Zealand. The airport is on Tahiti which is an island...
-New York JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
-Paris CDG
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport , also known as Roissy Airport , in the Paris area, is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle , leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic...
route, but it was quickly discontinued. Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
once operated flights on this route along with the Kangaroo route
Kangaroo route
The Kangaroo Route traditionally refers to air routes flown by Qantas between the countries of Australia and the United Kingdom, via the Eastern Hemisphere. The term is trademarked by Qantas, although it is used in the media and by airline competitors....
, but it dropped the transatlantic flight in the 1970s.
Operations
Aside from codeshares and alliances/partners, the airlines operating the Southern Cross Route are listed below:- Aerolíneas ArgentinasAerolíneas ArgentinasAerolíneas Argentinas , formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and serves as the country's flag carrier. Owned in its majority by the Argentine Government, the airline is headquartered in the Torre Bouchard, located in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires...
- from Sydney (with a stopover in Auckland) to Barcelona, Madrid and Rome, connecting in Buenos Aires. - Air CanadaAir CanadaAir Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
- from Sydney to London HeathrowLondon Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
connecting in Vancouver. One can go to several other European airports by connecting in Toronto or Montreal after Vancouver. - Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
- from Papeete, French Polynesia to several European airports, with a stopover in Los Angeles and a connection in Paris CDG. - Air New ZealandAir New ZealandAir New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
- from six New Zealand airports and eight Australian airports to London Heathrow connecting in Auckland with a stopover in Los Angeles. - Air Tahiti NuiAir Tahiti NuiAir Tahiti Nui is French Polynesia's flag carrier airline with its head office in the Immueble Dexter in Papeete, Tahiti. It operates international services for the low and high-end leisure travel markets. Its main base is Faa'a International Airport, Papeete.- History :Air Tahiti Nui was...
- from Tahiti to Paris CDG. - Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
- from Sydney to several European airports changing flights in Los Angeles, then either Atlanta, New York JFK, Detroit or Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport. - LAN AirlinesLAN AirlinesLAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
- from Sydney (with Auckland as a stopover) to Frankfurt (with Madrid as a stopover) connecting in Santiago. - United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
- from Sydney connecting in Los Angeles for London Heathrow or San Francisco for London Heathrow or Frankfurt. One can go to other European destinations by further connecting in Chicago O'Hare or Washington Dulles.