Fed: Australian Airlines marks change in thinking

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2001
Fed: Australian Airlines marks change in thinking

Queensland's tourism industry council says the launch of discount international carrier
Australian Airlines marks a shift towards more tourist oriented air services.

Council chief executive DANIEL GSCHWIND says the new airline, a subsidiary of Qantas,
is the start of a new era, with a focus on tourism needs rather than business as a driving
force.

Mr GSCHWIND says Australia has lagged behind North America and Europe in providing
a tourist focused international carrier, making it easier, more convenient and cheaper
for them to get around.

The single class, full-service leisure carrier is set to create about 10,000 tourism-related
jobs across Australia and will have its operational hub in Cairns.

It will start in September and is expected to bring an extra 350,000 tourists to Cairns
in the first year and generate an estimated $500 million in tourism expenditure.







Australian Airlines will fly to the Japanese cities of Nagoya and Osaka daily, and
to Fukuoka, in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong three times a week.

The airline also plans to fly to Taipei in Taiwan, Seoul and Shanghai as it expands,
and offer connecting flights between Cairns and the Gold Coast six times a week.

The airline aims to eventually fly into every Australian mainland capital including
Perth and Darwin.

AAP RTV ch/sc/tb/jh

KEYWORD: QANTAS TOURISM (BRISBANE)

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