Qantas boosts Queensland
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QantasLink, the regional subsidiary of Qantas Group, has announced plans to add approximately 5,000 seats across a range of routes in Queensland following the arrival of another new Bombardier Q400 aircraft from 6 April 2011.
Over coming months, the Queensland hubs of Barcaldine, Blackall, Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone, Hervey Bay, Longreach, Mackay, Moranbah, Rockhampton and Roma will all receive additional and upgraded services to and from Brisbane, with many flights operated by the 74-seat jet-like Q400s.
QantasLink Executive Manager, Narendra Kumar, said the increase in capacity would support the recovery of many central, western and south east Queensland communities affected by the recent floods.
“QantasLink operates to 21 destinations across Queensland, more than any other airline, and more than any other state across our network,” Kumar said.
“Regional Queensland has always been central to our operations and, following recent capacity increases for Barcaldine, Blackall, Horn Island and Weipa, we are ready to extend this across even more of our network, to meet travel demand from local communities and industries, including the resources sector.”
The arrival of yet another new Q400 will see 12 of these 74-seat aircraft based in Queensland. With 10 other Dash 8 aircraft dedicated to Queensland flying, QantasLink’s Queensland Dash 8 fleet will total 22.
Details of the additional seats and Brisbane return services per week (from 6 April):
– Bundaberg: Additional 384 seats per week (12 per cent growth). More than half of the 27 return services to be operated by Q400 aircraft
– Emerald: Additional 888 seats per week (22 per cent growth). Weekly return services to increase by six to 34 return flights, most operated by Q400 aircraft
– Gladstone: Additional 392 seats per week (six per cent growth). Weekly return services to increase by two to 46
– Hervey Bay: Additional 604 seats per week (30 per cent growth), with more services operated by Q400 aircraft
– Mackay: Additional 148 seats per week (four per cent growth). Weekly return services to increase by one to 25, all operated by Q400 aircraft
– Moranbah: Additional 868 seats per week (86 per cent growth). Weekly return services to increase by nine to 20, including a new early morning flight from Brisbane Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday allowing day return travel
– Rockhampton: Additional 880 seats per week (13 per cent growth). 47 return services per week, mainly operated by Q400 aircraft
– Roma: Additional 472 seats per week (29 per cent growth). Weekly return services to increase by five to 22 per week. Five of these will continue to extend to Charleville alongside two direct services to Charleville per week
Short term capacity upgrades using Q400 aircraft will also be provided for Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall.
The expansion of services linking Brisbane and Moranbah is in response to demand from the local coal and resources industries. Further expansion of Moranbah capacity, by upgrading more services to Q400 aircraft, will follow once the local airport upgrade is completed.
Kumar added that QantasLink, and the Qantas Group, had supported Queensland communities during the recent flood crisis as well as in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Yasi.
“Our customers and communities across Queensland are heavily reliant on air services, and this is particularly the case during times such as these,” he said. “We operated significant additional capacity to meet demand across a number of routes, supported the movement of emergency services personnel and supplies both into and within Queensland and have donated close to AU$1 million (US$1.01 million) to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal.”
With a network of 53 metropolitan and country destinations across all states and territories, QantasLink also launched its 54th, and first international, destination – Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea – in July 2010. Services linking Perth and Exmouth in Western Australia will also be added from 30 March.
QantasLink has invested more than AU$850 million in 28 new Q400 aircraft since 2006, with the current fleet of 22 to grow to 28 over the next 18 months. The airline’s fleet also includes five Q200, 16 Q300 and 11 B717 aircraft, with a further two B717s recently announced. QantasLink is also overseeing the operation of the Qantas Group’s recently purchased Western Australian resources charter airline Network Aviation. Its fleet of eight aircraft is also set to grow, with the addition of a further 10 Fokker F100s.
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