Virgin Airlines comes to Gladstone
GLADSTONE is flying high after an announcement from Virgin Australia Group yesterday afternoon that it will run a Gladstone to Brisbane route starting this October.
The announcement comes after a new regional alliance with Skywest to operate its new ATR aircraft pending regulatory approval.
From October operations out of Gladstone will include twice daily returns, on weekdays, to and from Brisbane.
GAPDL chief executive Glenn Churchill said the region needed to engage in healthy competition for the benefit of the local economy.
“The healthy competition between airline services will expectantly provide affordable, safe and timely flights operating out of Gladstone Airport that will cater for the business, tourism, industry, investment, and community and health sectors,” Mr Churchill said.
“With this advance in airline services, the Gladstone region will truly be able to connect travel interstate, intrastate and globally.”
Mr Churchill said GAPDL was expecting the extra RPT service along with Qantas Link and Strategic Airlines would boost the local economy and further support the current business and tourism trends within Gladstone region.
Virgin Australia’s Alliances, Network and Yield group executive boss Merren McArthur said the introduction of the new routes reflected the airline’s commitment to the expansion of its regional network.
“Gladstone is a booming city with a thriving economy that supports the resources, tourism and primary production sectors,” Ms McArthur said.
“We have introduced a schedule to suit both the corporate and leisure traveller in this very important market.”
Virgin will also now operate a service from Brisbane to Port Macquarie and extra services between Canberra and Sydney.
