Qantaslink To Increase Queensland Operations By 18% with more Q400's

The Qantas Group's regional subsidiary QantasLink is to increase its Queensland capacity by 18% as its new Bombardier Q400 aircraft come into service over the coming months.

Qantas Executive General Manager Regional Airlines Narendra Kumar said the first of the new aircraft arrived in Brisbane this week, in preparation for entry into service on 26 February.

"We are dedicating five of QantasLink's total order of seven new Q400s to Queensland," Mr Kumar said.

The new 72-seat Bombardier Q400, which is both larger and faster than the airline's current Dash 8 fleet, will enable QantasLink to provide more than 240,000 additional seats each year into 12 Queensland ports.

The new Q400s would operate between:

- Brisbane and Rockhampton - increasing seats by 16%; 
- Brisbane and Gladstone - increasing seats by 22%; 
- Brisbane and Emerald - increasing seats by 37%; 
- Rockhampton and Mackay - increasing seats by 24%; 
- Mackay and Townsville - increasing seats by 26%; and 
- Townsville and Cairns - increasing seats by 21%. 

"Flying the Bombardier Q400 on some of the services on these routes also gives us the flexibility to redirect other capacity.

"For example, we will be able to operate 50-seat Dash 8-Q300 aircraft alongside our 36-seat Dash 8 aircraft on services to Bundaberg, Longreach, Roma and Charleville, to provide more seats," Mr Kumar said.

"In addition to boosting capacity by upgrading aircraft, QantasLink will also add an extra flight to Weipa and Roma," he said.

QantasLink had already announced new double-daily Q400 return services between Brisbane and Mackay, which would commence from April 2006.

QantasLink will also operate a daily direct Q400 service between Brisbane and Canberra from April 2006, adding more than 1,000 extra seats on the route each week for the Qantas Group.

"The QantasLink flight will depart Canberra at 3.45 pm which is timed to connect with flights to Queensland ports beyond Brisbane.

"QantasLink is the first airline in the Southern Hemisphere to offer customers this new aircraft type," Mr Kumar said.

"We have made a significant investment in the Bombardier Q400 aircraft, with seven scheduled for delivery by July 2006 and purchase rights and options over an additional 10 aircraft."

Mr Kumar said the Bombardier Q400 featured jet-like speed with new engine and propeller systems.

"Flying at 360 knots, this aircraft reduces flight times compared to our current services, giving us the potential to operate additional frequencies on some sectors," he added.

Crash speculation points to fuel contamination

The British Airways plane suffered double engine failure at the end of its flight from Beijing. Photo / Reuters

Air New Zealand's fleet of 777 (closest 777 operating neihbour) aircraft remains in operation while British investigators rush to figure out what caused a British Airways 777-200ER to drop from the sky at Heathrow Airport last week.

Fuel contamination emerged as one of the most probable causes, according to postings on pilots' blogs and websites, although there has been no official evidence of this from any authorised sources.

The speculation is that water, which is denser than fuel, could have leaked into the fuel tank. During flight, the water could have frozen. But as the fuel warmed during the approach at lower altitude, the ice could have partially melted, leading to slush in the small amount of fuel left, and thus impeding the fuel flow.

The British Airways jet suffered double engine failure as it approached the runway at the end of a flight from Beijing, in a freak accident described by aviation experts as "a million to one".

More than 150 passengers and crew were on the plane at the time.

Pilots managed a controlled crash landing, with the plane coming to rest inside the Heathrow compound, about 300m short of the runway.

The Daily Mail yesterday reported earlier theories - including that pilot error and bird strike were possible causes of the near disaster - were now considered "unlikely".

The aircraft - which can seat more than 300 passengers - are an average 1.4 years old, and fly an average 14 hours a day.

Experts from engine builders Rolls Royce, aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, British Airways, civil aviation would all be "scouring" the crash site, he said.

"Once they establish the cause, a directive will go around to other airlines - [flying] those aircraft - warning of the problem, so checks can be carried out." 

Airline Pilots' Association vice-president Peter Fleming said pilots always felt a certain amount of apprehension following the crash - somewhere in the world - of an aircraft of the type they fly, chiefly because "we are the ones flying them".

Mr Fleming - an Airbus pilot - said he was "very confident" of Air New Zealand's maintenance and safety procedures.

It was understandable investigators at Heathrow were checking the quality of the fuel used by the fallen 777, as it was "one of the few elements that are common to both engines", he said. However, he said it would be "unwise" to speculate on the cause of the crash.