Qantas announces return of Sydney to Toowoomba flights from Wellcamp Airport through Qantas Link

Flights between Toowoomba and Australia’s largest city have returned after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, with hundreds of passengers expected to use the route every week.

First QANTAS flight from Sydney to land at Wellcamp Airport for two years. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The first Sydney passengers have touched down at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport for the first time in two years, as national carrier Qantas announced it would resume its 12 weekly flights.

The two dozen travellers on the 7.20am flight represent the first of 10 weekly trips and two weekend services between Australia’s largest city and the region, in what is being tipped as a big boost for both tourism and business operators.

Passengers arrive on the first QANTAS flight from Sydney to land at Wellcamp Airport for two years. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Qantas’ regional subsidiary QantasLink will have the capacity to take nearly 900 people between the two destinations using its De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 plane.

The passengers included a strong mix of workers from the mining and engineering sectors, along with tourists visiting friends and family.

Wagner Corporation executive general manager Damian Bell said the move was a big boost for not only the airport but the city as well.

“It’s a really significant moment for us to have Qantas here again, since all those services were affected by Covid,” he said.

“It’s been two years and one day since Qantas flights was suspended, so we’re happy to be reconnected to Sydney, not just for the friends and family travel but also the business travel.

“We’re really happy to reopen that business market, it’s great to get back into Sydney (because) we’ve all been doing business via Zoom or Skype so people can now do it in person.”

(from left) Konrad Wagner, Angelique Ikamui and Patrick Schwarz. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Bell said Qantas had invested heavily into the region, noting its ongoing pilot academy near the airport.

“We want the community to get behind this connectivity again,” he said.

“I’m travelling down there with my family (to Sydney soon), it’s a fantastic way to spend a cheeky weekend down in Sydney.

“We had a lot of our Qantas students welcoming the flight, so it’s a really good connection between the region, the airport and the service.”

QantasLink CEO John Gissing said Toowoomba remained an important regional port for the company as it looks to reopen its routes following Covid-19.

“Toowoomba is an important economic hub not just for Queensland, but for Australia, and we are pleased to offer direct flights between Sydney and Wellcamp once again,” he said.

“After more than two years of Covid, these flights will help local businesses strengthen connections with better access to Sydney, and make it easier for friends, families and visitors to once again travel between the two cities.”