Qantas Announces More Flights For Queensland     15 Apr 05
 
The Qantas Group today announced a range of changes to Queensland services including more than 6,600 additional seats and 19 extra return flights each week.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon said the additional seats and new services would provide a boost to Queensland's tourism industry.

"Qantas makes an enormous contribution to the Queensland economy, committing 44 per cent of the airline's domestic capacity on flights to and from Queensland and providing employment for more than 5,500 people," Mr Dixon said. "Together with QantasLink and Jetstar, Qantas operates services to 20 cities and towns in Queensland.

"Qantas will add extra services from Brisbane and Cairns to a range of destinations and make use of different aircraft types to provide seasonal increases to some cities and added frequency to others.

"In addition to being Queensland's largest domestic carrier, the Qantas Group is the largest provider of international services to the state, carrying almost 40 per cent of international visitors as well as spending about $8 million annually promoting and marketing Queensland."

Mr Dixon said from 1 July Qantas would add extra return flights between Brisbane and:
Adelaide - six new services, bringing the total number of weekly services to 27; Perth - five new services, bringing the total number of weekly services to 20; Sydney ? four new services, bringing the total number of weekly services to 145; and Mt Isa ? an extra Friday service, bringing the total number of weekly services to eight.

Qantas has also added extra seasonal services between Cairns and:
Perth - one extra service, bringing the total number of weekly services to three; and Sydney - two extra services, bringing the total to 23 per week.

In addition, Qantas will fly larger aircraft on 13 weekly services between Brisbane and Darwin from July, providing an extra 854 seats each week for the peak season.

Mr Dixon also announced that QantasLink services would replace Qantas' daily 737 flights between Brisbane and Rockhampton from 1 June.

QantasLink Dash 8 aircraft will operate an additional 28 services to Rockhampton each week, bringing the number of weekly services to 67.

"QantasLink will provide greater frequency on the Brisbane-Rockhampton route than currently exists," Mr Dixon said.

"This includes new daily departures from Brisbane at 10am and 5.30pm as well as a later last flight of the day from Rockhampton at 7.15pm on week days to provide more opportunities for same day return services.

"With QantasLink flying more frequently between Brisbane and Rockhampton, we are able to offer a more comprehensive schedule that can better accommodate the needs of business and leisure travellers."

Jetstar will reduce its flying between Brisbane and Rockhampton from two to one return 717 service daily.

Issued by Qantas Corporate Communications (Q3254)