Happy New Year!! What can we expect at Central Queensland Airports in 2012??

We at Central Queensland Plane Spotting hope that all our followers and visitors have a happy, safe, and very prosperous 2012.

In terms of plane spotting, here are few new sights that we can expect to see in 2012...

No doubt that passenger figures and aircraft movements will increase throughout the region again in 2012.

With new and continuing coal, and coal seam gas mining developments, the amount of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) charter flights in the region are expected to increase, especially to places like Gladstone, Emerald, and Alpha. There is also the possibility of two new fly-in fly-out (FIFO) operators that will start flying to the region in 2012.

Virgin Australia will start flying Skywest Airlines-operated ATR 72s from Emerald to Brisbane in January. The ATRs will also fly from Rockhampton to Brisbane during weekends from February, as well as continue flying from Gladstone.

QantasLink will start flying Boeing B717-200 aircraft from Mackay and Rockhampton to Brisbane, replacing Alliance Airlines operated Fokker F-100. They may also increase the number of Dash-8 flights to the region.

Lastly, the airport redevelopments at Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast, Moranbah, and Clermont should conclude.

Let's hope it's a great year for plane spotting!