QantasLink will increase services and improve schedules and capacity on key regional routes operated by the airline`s fleet of Dash 8 aircraft from 28 July.

Qantas Executive General Manager Subsidiary Businesses Narendra Kumar said the airline was responding to demand from regional ports in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Mr Kumar said the changes to the QantasLink Dash 8 fleet schedule included:

* Newcastle-Melbourne
An additional daily return service (except Sundays) aimed at the business traveller departing Newcastle for Melbourne at 0630am. New daily Melbourne-Newcastle return services will depart at 1720. QantasLink will now operate 22 return services each week on this route.
* Sydney-Tamworth
More frequent use of the larger Dash-8 300 50 seater aircraft on peak flights providing up to 15 per cent more capacity each week. QantasLink operates 28 return services each week between Sydney and Tamworth.

* Melbourne-Mildura
A rescheduled service operating weekdays departing Melbourne at 1200 noon. The return service will depart Mildura at 1340. QantasLink will continue to operate 34 return services each week between Melbourne and Mildura.

Mr Kumar said services to the Queensland regional centres of Gladstone, Rockhampton and Gold Coast had also been boosted by the introduction of the 50 seater Dash 8 300 aircraft earlier this month.

QantasLink operates services to 55 destinations across Australia.
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