Published Saturday, 18 November, 2006 at 03:00 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
MICKEL ENCOURAGES INDIANS TO FLY DIRECT TO BRISBANE
MUMBAI: Minister for State Development John Mickel is in Mumbai today encouraging India’s major airlines to open up a direct route to Brisbane to service the growing number of Indian tourists visiting the Smart State.
Mr Mickel met with senior representatives of Air India and the leading private airline in India, Jet Airways.
“There are currently no direct flights between Queensland and India. Jet Airways does, however, have an arrangement with Qantas whereby passengers fly out of Brisbane on a Qantas flight to Singapore and catch a connecting flight to either Mumbai or Delhi and you can fly direct from Sydney to Mumbai with Qantas,” Mr Mickel said.
“Given that last financial 78,886 Indian tourists visited Australia and 14,657 visited Queensland and that the 46.6 percent growth in Indian arrivals to Queensland for 2005/06 outperformed the national growth figure of 33.3 percent, the Queensland Government believes there’s a strong case for the establishment of direct flights between Queensland and India.”
Mr Mickel said due to India’s economic boom, the rate of international travel from India was growing rapidly.
“There’s no doubt that Indian tourists are attracted to Queensland, but the lack of a direct route is hampering future growth and we’d like to see this rectified,” he said.
Mr Mickel also promoted Queensland’s world-class cabin crew and aircraft maintenance training programs and facilities.
“Queensland is fast becoming the aviation and aerospace hub of the Asia Pacific region and a major training centre for the industry,” he said.
He said for example Aviation Australia, based at Brisbane International Airport, was one of the leading aviation maintenance training centres in the region.
“And Alteon’s Brisbane Aviation Training Centre is the first truly commercial aviation simulation training centre in the region. It can accommodate up to 250 trainees per day, involving pilots, maintenance engineers, and cabin crew.
“It currently serves Virgin Blue Airlines, Boeing Business Jet operators, and carriers in Australia and the nearby Pacific and Asian regions,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel is currently in India on a seven day trade mission to further business opportunities for Queensland companies and to promote the Smart State as a key investment destination.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
Mr Mickel met with senior representatives of Air India and the leading private airline in India, Jet Airways.
“There are currently no direct flights between Queensland and India. Jet Airways does, however, have an arrangement with Qantas whereby passengers fly out of Brisbane on a Qantas flight to Singapore and catch a connecting flight to either Mumbai or Delhi and you can fly direct from Sydney to Mumbai with Qantas,” Mr Mickel said.
“Given that last financial 78,886 Indian tourists visited Australia and 14,657 visited Queensland and that the 46.6 percent growth in Indian arrivals to Queensland for 2005/06 outperformed the national growth figure of 33.3 percent, the Queensland Government believes there’s a strong case for the establishment of direct flights between Queensland and India.”
Mr Mickel said due to India’s economic boom, the rate of international travel from India was growing rapidly.
“There’s no doubt that Indian tourists are attracted to Queensland, but the lack of a direct route is hampering future growth and we’d like to see this rectified,” he said.
Mr Mickel also promoted Queensland’s world-class cabin crew and aircraft maintenance training programs and facilities.
“Queensland is fast becoming the aviation and aerospace hub of the Asia Pacific region and a major training centre for the industry,” he said.
He said for example Aviation Australia, based at Brisbane International Airport, was one of the leading aviation maintenance training centres in the region.
“And Alteon’s Brisbane Aviation Training Centre is the first truly commercial aviation simulation training centre in the region. It can accommodate up to 250 trainees per day, involving pilots, maintenance engineers, and cabin crew.
“It currently serves Virgin Blue Airlines, Boeing Business Jet operators, and carriers in Australia and the nearby Pacific and Asian regions,” Mr Mickel said.
Mr Mickel is currently in India on a seven day trade mission to further business opportunities for Queensland companies and to promote the Smart State as a key investment destination.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784