Qantas 2005 Annual Report Download - page 21

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19
Qantas Annual Report 2005
Regional carrier QantasLink entered a new era in regional
air travel during the year with the announcement of a major
fleet replacement program for both jet and turboprop
operations and expanded capacity across the network.
QantasLink currently operates around 2,000 weekly services
nationwide and employs more than 1,000 people, a large
number of whom are based outside capital cities.
In January, QantasLink announced its largest single
investment in the regional turboprop fleet with the
acquisition of seven new Bombardier Q400 aircraft worth
$200 million. The 72-seat Q400s will be delivered from
January 2006 and QantasLink has options and purchase
rights over another 10 aircraft.
The Q400s will be the flagship of the fleet, offering a
44 per cent increase in capacity over the existing 50-seat
Dash 8 300s. The aircraft have jet-like speed, improved
passenger comfort and lower operating costs. These aircraft
will complement a fleet of 33 Dash 8s including seven
new Q300s purchased for more than $100 million and
delivered in 2004. The airline’s heavy maintenance base,
where the fleet of Dash 8 aircraft is maintained, is located
in Tamworth.
In October 2004, QantasLink announced its jet operations
would progressively move from BAe146 aircraft to newer
717 aircraft from July 2005. The 717s are being released
from Jetstar as the value-based carrier grows its fleet of
A320s.
Eight 717s, operating in a 115-seat configuration, will
replace eight 65- to 76-seat BAe146s during 2005/06, with
two BAe146 aircraft remaining in the regional fleet until
their leases expire in December 2006.
The larger 717s will provide extra capacity on regional
routes in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and
Queensland, allowing QantasLink to stimulate growth and
offer more discount seats on these routes. An agreement
was signed in June 2005 for National Jet Systems, which
currently operates the BAe146 fleet, to operate and
maintain the new QantasLink 717 regional flying operations
from July 2005.
This investment in the regional fleet demonstrates Qantas’
continued support for growth in regional Australia.
Other highlights included:
x the expansion of flying operations with increased
capacity or greater frequency and more comprehensive
schedules on key routes: Canberra-Sydney,
Rockhampton-Brisbane, Bundaberg-Brisbane,
Emerald-Brisbane, Tamworth-Sydney,
Port Macquarie-Sydney and Perth-Kununurra;
x the start of scheduled services on QantasLink’s newest
route between Melbourne and Wollongong in June
2005; and
x new-style inflight dining featuring menu items from
regional producers introduced in February 2005x
Flying Businesses
QantasLinkx
The new Bombardier Q400 aircraft will be the flagship of the QantasLink fleet