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Wellcamp welcomes first flight

written by australianaviation.com.au | November 17, 2014

QantasLink flight QF2016 arrives at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)
QantasLink flight QF2016 arrives at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)

Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport just outside Toowoomba has welcomed its first regular public transport flight.

Sunny skies welcomed QantasLink flight QF2016, which touched down at 0845 local time on Monday after a 106-minute trip from Sydney, according to the Qantas website.

QantasLink will offer 11 flights a week between Sydney and Wellcamp, Australia’s first privately-funded airport built by family-run local company Wagners.

QantasLink chief executive John Gissing said the new services would stimulate tourism and business opportunities across the Toowoomba region, as all as provide travellers with connections to domestic and international flights on the Qantas network.

Wagners’ chairman John Wagner, as well as brothers Denis, Neill and Joe were on hand to witness the first flight.

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“To see our vision of a jet-capable airport come to life and celebrate the first flight with our first customer QantasLink, it’s a moment we are all extremely proud of,” John Wagner said in a statement.

Day One passengers at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)
Day One passengers at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)
QantasLink Q400 named Darling Downs at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)
QantasLink Q400 named Darling Downs at Wellcamp Airport. (Wellcamp)
Wagners chairman John Wagner gets ready to board. (Wellcamp)
Wagners chairman John Wagner gets ready to board. (Wellcamp)

The aircraft operating the first flight, a Bombardier Q400, is named Darling Downs in honour of the region.

Regional Express (Rex) was due to start flights to Brisbane-Wellcamp flights from January 1 2015 after winning three new Queensland government regulated routes.

Wagners hope the airport, with its 2.87km runway capable of handling Boeing 747 aircraft, will prove an attractive proposition for business and leisure travellers, as well as freight operators given the vast agricultural production in the area.

In the initial stage, the 8,000 square metre passenger terminal is capable of handling 1.5 million passengers a year with 10 check-in desks.

Read more about Wellcamp Airport in the November edition of Australian Aviation magazine.

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Comments (5)

  • Russell M

    says:

    This is a fantastic effort and great to see.

    I wonder how Badgery Creek’s latest environment / feasibility / whatever study is coming along?

    I’m 49yo now – talk of Badgery’s has been going most of my life – I wonder if I’ll get to see it, or my own feasibility study will be concluded first !!

  • Andrew Franklin

    says:

    Well done Wagner Brothers of Twba..Take a bow and all Governments should take a lesson from this private project..

  • Allan

    says:

    Congratulations on Wellcamp. Just goes to show what a bit of foresight, ambition and capability can produce, Whilst working closely with the authorities. Well done to all involved. If only those involved with Badgery`s creek will just make a decision.

  • Derrick

    says:

    Now all they need is flights between toowoomba, miles and roma. This would take so many buses of the roads for the dido workers that live in toowoomba.

  • Patrick

    says:

    Well done Wellcamp I’m going to make my way over there sometime soon surely.

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