15 NOV: Qantas is placing new emphasis on the ‘fly-in, fly-out’ market, which sees thousands of workers a week in WA and Queensland transferred to and from mining sites.
"In a big capital commitment we will have 10 additional aircraft over the next 18 months to build up our core presence in that sector," chief executive Alan Joyce said at an aviation conference in Brisbane yesterday.
He said Qantas is talking to all mining companies in the sector, including BHP and Rio Tinto.
"We can offer incentives for the fly-in, fly-out business accounts. A lot of those miners are members of the Qantas Club," he said.
Mr Joyce said it gave Qantas the ability leverage discounted flights for central Queensland’s "fly-in, fly-out market."
"So we see this as a segment that Qantas is interested in maximising its share in and we are investing very heavily in people and aircraft and resources," Mr Joyce said.
"We believe it will be extremely profitable as we go forward.
"And it is very much top of our radar screen in the domestic market."
