Sydney-Toowoomba flights set to return with improved schedule
More flights added to Far North Queensland
Qantas to continue servicing Longreach for the next five years
Queenslanders are set to enjoy stronger regional and domestic travel connections as Qantas boosts flights across its Queensland network as the return of interstate travel approaches.
Interstate travel
From 14 February 2022, Qantas will resume Sydney-Toowoomba (Wellcamp Airport) services with 12 return flights each week operated by its Q400 aircraft. The new business-friendly schedule offers double daily weekday flights and daily weekend flights, with more than 1700 seats to and from Toowoomba each week.
Qantas has also committed to extending its Brisbane-Cooma services for the 2022 snow season, starting 1 July, with two weekly return flights catering to either a weekend or five-day snow holiday. The New South Wales lockdown meant that the service was only able to operate for three weeks this year.
The airline’s year-round Brisbane to Albury route, which customers can use to access snow resorts in Victoria, at Falls Creek and Hotham, will continue to increase to daily return flights from 1 January 2022 (from the original three flights per week when the route started in July).
The flights to Cooma and Albury are the only direct flights from Brisbane to the snowfields.
More flights to Far North Queensland
Qantas has added more than 15 return flights per week across three Far North Queensland routes with its Q400 aircraft, improving connections for residents and travellers between the tropical destinations:
Five additional Cairns-Townsville services to a total of 32 return flights per week
Six additional Townsville-Mackay services to a total of 21 return flights per week
Four additional Cairns-Horn Island services to a total of 19 return flights per week
Regulated routes
The Queensland Government has awarded Qantas the rights to continue to service the communities of Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall for the next five years as part of the state’s regulated routes program.
The airline will work with the Queensland Government to ensure flight schedules meet increased travel demand in winter months and continue to offer discounted fares for residents on all return flights to Brisbane through the resident fare program.
Comments from QantasLink CEO John Gissing:
“Qantas started in Queensland 101 years ago, and we’re delighted to be increasing our regional and interstate flights in the State.
“We’re particularly pleased to be able to continue to serve Longreach and the central west region which is home to Qantas and so much of our history, as well as the Qantas Founders Museum.
“We know how important accessible air travel is for regional Australia and we look forward to continuing to work with these communities and support them with regular flights and discounted fares for residents.
“With Queensland’s border just weeks away from reopening, we know there’s huge pent up demand for travel. The return of our Toowoomba services and the additional flights will support the recovery of the tourism sector and improve connectivity for local residents.
“In the past 18 months we have added 27 new Queensland routes, more than half of the new domestic routes on our network.”
