Sunshine Coast Airport gains extra flights

Sunshine Coast Council and Sunshine Coast Airport continue to improve flight frequency between Sydney, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast with Jetstar providing additional flights in 2010.

Mayor Bob Abbot said council’s commitment to the recent upgrade of the airport’s terminal building was already producing results with the airlines seeing more potential in maximising their routes to the Sunshine Coast.

“The changes to the arrival and departure lounges mean faster turn around times for Jetstar which has resulted in these extra flights between the Sunshine Coast and the southern cities,” Councillor Abbot said.

Sunshine Coast Airport General Manager Peter Pallot said the combined result of the additional daily Sydney flight and three Melbourne flights each week was an extra 190,000 seats per annum with an increased capacity of 30 per cent.

“In addition, the extra Sydney flight will depart much earlier in the day making a return business trip possible for local business people which helps build our local economy,” Peter Pallot said.

“Jetstar’s decision to increase their flights between these sectors demonstrates the airlines confidence in the potential of this region as both a tourism destination and an area of economic growth,” he said.

The flights can be booked now for travel

• between Sydney and the Sunshine Coast from 1 April 2010.
• between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast from 1 July 2010.