QANTAS ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPULSE JET PASSENGERS

Qantas Airways Limited said today that it was providing special arrangements for Impulse passengers holding tickets for interstate jet services.

This follows the announcement by Impulse Executive Chairman, Gerry McGowan, that Impulse would cease operating B717 services from this evening between Sydney and Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Melbourne and Hobart and Newcastle and Melbourne via Sydney.

Impulse will continue to operate its Beechcraft regional services until Sunday 27 May.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dixon, said: “From tomorrow, Qantas will honour all tickets issued by Impulse for interstate jet services.

“Qantas telephone sales staff will attempt to contact every Impulse passenger booked on a jet service to advise them of the new flight and departure time on Qantas,” he said.

“All departures and arrivals for interstate jet services will be through Qantas domestic terminals and Qantas staff will be available to direct Impulse customers to the appropriate area.

“Qantas staff will also be available in the Impulse regional and express terminals in Sydney, the express terminal in Melbourne and the international terminal in Hobart to assist passengers during the transition phase.”

Qantas will announce details for handling Impulse regional customers later this week.

Mr Dixon added that the commercial relationship between Qantas and Impulse would result in a 13 percent increase in capacity in services to Hobart, including nine daily Boeing 717 return services between Melbourne and Hobart from 27 May and a new, non-stop Boeing 717 daily return service between Sydney and Hobart from 1 June.