Qantas inks Roy Hill service deal

Qantas Airways Ltd's division Network Aviation has signed a three-year air services agreement to provide charter operations to the Roy Hill Pilbara iron ore project beginning in mid-August, according to The Australian.

Network Aviation specialises in fly-in, fly-out services and the Roy Hill contract calls for it to fly to the site three times a week, with expectations that services will expand as the project reaches a forecast peak of about 3,600 workers.

Qantas anticipates that its operations intra-Western Australian operations will grow by 22% this year mostly because of its contracts with the major miners including BHP and Fortescue Metals Group.

"The agreement demonstrates Qantas's strength in the fly-in, fly-out business and affirms our strategy of investing and expanding our charter operations through Network Aviation," Qantas domestic chief executive Lyell Strambi told The Australian.