REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Thursday April 15, 2004

QANTAS defended its cutbacks to air services to the Gold Coast and said the airline ‘has never been more committed to the Coast’.

Terry Simpson, Qantas’s Queensland regional general manager, said the airline realised that business class travellers were unhappy about the loss of business class on direct Gold Coast to Melbourne flights.

But he said the service was cut and replaced with the economy class no-frills Jetstar service because business class was not financially viable.

“All four Qantas flying businesses - Qantas, QantasLink, Australian Airlines and Jetstar - will continue to operate into the Gold Coast,” said Mr Simpson.

“The entry of Jetstar will see capacity between the Gold Coast and both Sydney and Melbourne rise by 20 per cent, an increase that has been welcomed by tourism groups and Government.

“Qantas will continue to operate two class 737 services twice every day between Sydney and the Gold Coast, in addition to eight Jetstar flights each day.”

Mr Simpson said on the Melbourne-Gold Coast route, Jetstar would operate 42 services each week by midAugust 2004.

“Airfares to and from the Gold Coast are up to 30 per cent cheaper now than before Jetstar entered the market,” he said.

Tourism Queensland chairman Terry Jackman said research showed that 99 per cent of interstate air travellers were more interested in cheap fares, the frequency of flights and having enough seats.