Qantas adds new flights to Coffs Harbour, Ballina Byron
As Easter holidays beckon, Qantas is unlocking a trio of fresh routes to the NSW north coast.
By David Flynn, February 19 2021
Taking a punt that we won't suffer another round of state border closures, Qantas is rolling out three new routes to both Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay (Ballina) starting April 1 "to support growing demand for holidays in Australia."
- Melbourne to Coffs Harbour will see daily flights on the nimble Qantas Boeing 717
- Brisbane to Coffs Harbour will run four days per week on a Q400 turboprop
- Canberra to Byron Bay - which marks Qantas' first direct service connecting the two destinations – will offer two flights per week, also on the Q400 (while nominally seasonal flights, the airline says it will look to continue the Canberra-Byron service "from July in line with demand.")
Fares across all three routes will start at $129 one-way for travel between April and October.
In addition, Sydney-Coffs Harbour will see the familiar Q400 supplemented by the larger two-class Boeing 717 aircraft during the April school holidays.
"With international borders closed, we want to make it even easier for travellers to holiday around Australia," said QantasLink CEO John Gissing, who hopes the new routes will provide Australians with more options to plan their next holiday in their own backyard.
"The beautiful coastal hubs of Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour continue to be incredibly popular with travellers, so it makes sense to provide direct connections from other capital cities to make them even more accessible."
Of course, if some state borders do slam shut at short notice, Qantas now allows unlimited flight changes until at least January 2022.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
09 May 2020
Total posts 573
Interesting move with interstate routes to regional NSW tourist destinations which should be more immune to border closure if the ACT, QLD and Vic government and their health ministries are truly sensible and evidence based as they repeatedly claimed.
Alas the inland NSW destinations probably does not have that much of the tourist pull compared to the coastal region while the NSW south coast is always considered a poor cousin in terms of interstate tourist promotion and airlinks (most visitors are from big smoke Sydney and hot air Canberra)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Aug 2016
Total posts 11
What a shock that Qantas announce these flights the day after Virgin announce MEL to BNK.
Also muscling in on Link Airways on the BNE to CFS route and Fly Pelican on CBR to BNK.
Great for people living in Ballina/Byron region, they can now choose from FP, VA, QF, ZL and JQ, plenty of competition!
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
Interesting they are squeezing Link on Canberra Hobart as well as Brisbane Coffs. Nipping as emerging Link in the bud as it were.
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