QANTAS is to increase capacity from Perth to other Western Australian destinations of Karratha, Newman, Paraburdoo, Port Hedland and Broome to meet regional communities and industries, including the resource sector.

    The changes will see around nine additional return services per week and 3,466 seats per week added to the market. It will include the upgrade of several services from B717 to B737 aircraft. On an annualised basis, this equates to more than 180,000 additional seats.

    To provide the new capacity Qantas has added a B737-800 aircraft to its Perth based fleet to service key regional ports. This is the second B737-800 to be delivered to the Perth fleet in 2011.

    The intra-Western Australia schedule changes include: three new Perth-Karratha return services and the upgrade of four return services from a B717 to a B737 adding 1,120 seats on the route each week. It will also provide four additional Perth-Newman return services adding 1,132 seats on the route each week; three new Perth-Paraburdoo return services adding 690 seats on the route each week; the upgrade of three Perth-Port Hedland return services from a B717 to a B737 adding 318 seats per week and the upgrade of one Perth-Broome return services from a B717 to a B737 adding 106 seats per week.

    Last week, QantasLink launched its inaugural commercial service between Perth and Geraldton and enhanced its Perth-Exmouth services by introducing Q400 aircraft in addition to Boeing 717s on the route. QantasLink also confirmed that flight frequencies on its Perth-Exmouth route will increase in January from two to 11 return services per week subject to government approval.

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