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Qantas will resume flights to the Gold Coast with three times weekly services from Sydney beginning in late October.
The airline said conditions were right for its return more than four years after it cancelled services to the Gold Coast, saying at the time that it was losing money on the flights. Budget subsidiary Jetstar has continued operating on the route.
“With the massive development of south-east Queensland, the Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth-largest city and a fast-growing premium travel market,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement.
“Our customers have told us that they want a premium leisure and business service, complementing Jetstar’s existing services as part of our two-brand strategy, and we are responding to that demand.”
Qantas said it would operate Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the route. The airline also said it would refurbish the Gold Coast passenger lounge currently used by Jetstar and reopen it as a Qantas Club by the end of the year.
Virgin Australia has increased flights to the Gold Coast by seven per cent this year and launched business class services on the route last year. Tiger Airways last month relaunched flights from Sydney to the Gold Co
ast.
