QantasLink today announced the addition of two new return services per week between Cairns and Weipa from 27 June.

Having increased weekly services from 10 to 12 in February, the latest move will add a further 200 seats per week, or 13 per cent, and grow frequency on the route to 14 return services per week.

QantasLink Executive Manager, Mr Narendra Kumar, said Weipa remained an important part of the airline’s North Queensland operations.

“QantasLink has operated to Weipa since 2001 and, particularly in recent years and months, we have responded to increased demand from the resources sector and local communities with additional services and adding capacity with the introduction of larger aircraft, particularly our new flagship 74-seat Bombardier Q400s,” he said.

Details of the new services:
* the new services will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, providing a double daily schedule on these days
* depart Cairns at 10.00am and arrive in Weipa at 11.40am.
* return flights will depart Weipa at 12.00 noon and arrive in Cairns at 1.40pm, providing Cairns connections to and from a range of destinations across the wider Qantas and QantasLink network.

The upgraded QantasLink schedule will offer:
* three return services on Mondays and Fridays
* two on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
* one on Wednesdays and Saturdays

Seven services each week will be operated by 74-seat Q400s, and seven by 50-seat Q300s.

QantasLink is Australia’s largest regional airline, with a network of 55 metropolitan and country destinations across all states and territories, as well as Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

QantasLink has invested more than $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.