Qantas boosts Tassie flights

Extra 9000 Sydney seats

AUSTRALIA’S national carrier has added almost 9000 extra seats between Hobart and Sydney for the duration of the peak summer season.

Qantas revealed to the Mercury it would operate an additional 40 return flights between the state’s capital and the Harbour City from November to March — an extra 8800 seats.

It means there will be three direct flights each way every weekday for the majority of the peak season — 6.20am, 11.40am and 4.20pm services to Sydney and 9am, 1.45pm and 6.55pm departures for Hobart.

The services would be operated by QantasLink’s 110-seat Boeing 717 aircraft.

The extra summer flights add to Qantas’ existing schedule of up to 200 flights per week to Hobart, Devonport and Launceston airports from Sydney and Melbourne.

“We’re stepping up our commitment to Tasmanian tourism with more flights for travellers to Hobart over the summer season,” QantasLink chief executive John Gissing said. “These additional flights strengthen the state’s connection to mainland Australia and beyond, and mean more visitors will have the opportunity to explore everything Tasmania has to offer.”

Premier Will Hodgman said it would boost Tasmania’s “well-earned reputation as a must-do destination”.

“We welcome Qantas responding to the increased demand from people to come here, and for providing more options for people to travel in peak periods, which will also benefit our business community,” he said.

“This is another vote of confidence in our booming visitor economy.”

Tickets for the additional flights go on sale today, with a special price of $170 available for one-way fares booked 45 days prior to departure until October 1 this year.

It is Qantas’ second addition of direct flights between Hobart and Sydney within the past nine months.

The carrier added an extra 34,000 seats to Hobart this year with an extra return flight on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.