QantasLink has welcomed a new Federal Government report, which shows the growth of aviation across regional Australia.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics report Air transport service trends in regional Australia shows that more people are travelling throughout regional Australia.

The report found that between 2010 and 2012, the amount of passengers at regional airportsincreased from 22.5 million to 24.4 million and the number of regional airports has increased from 148 in 2010 to 171 in 2012.

QantasLink Executive Manager John Gissing said the figures in the report highlight the work Qantas and QantasLink are undertaking to boost air travel in regional markets across Australia.

“We are seeing more people travelling to-and-from regional Australia, for both business and leisure, which is great for tourism and regional economies,” Mr Gissing said.

Mr Gissing said QantasLink had also introduced a range of network improvements to accommodate the growing number of people travelling between regional and metropolitan cities.

“We are flying to more places, more often and flying advanced aircraft which are larger, quicker and quieter,” Mr Gissing said.

“QantasLink operates a network of 58 metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia, as well as to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, and we’ve got 10 Regional Lounges.

“Recent initiatives include deploying larger Q400 aircraft and adding more flights throughout NSW to accommodate the growing number of customers travelling to regional areas and commencing direct services between Sydney and Gladstone.”

QantasLink was named 2012’s Regional Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and Australian Traveller’s 2012 Readers’ Choice Award ‘Best Regional Airline in Australia’.