Qantas Dumping Proserpine, Jetstar Quitting Hamilton Island

The Qantas Group is making some changes to its Queensland network, with Qantas ending flights to Proserpine (PPP) and Jetstar ceasing services to Hamilton Island (HTI).

While not publicised, Qantas advisories to travel agents this week say the four times per week flights between Brisbane (BNE) and Proserpine (QF1994, QF1995, QF1946, and QF1947) will end on October 26, 2025.

Qantas resumed flights to Proserpine in 2021 after a two-decade absence. Proserpine is the closest airport to Shute Harbour and many Whitsunday islands. Its current flights are operated by E190s wet-leased from Alliance Airlines. Qantas is shunting its Proserpine passengers onto Jetstar flights, who currently fly in from Brisbane, Sydney (MEL), Melbourne (MEL), and Adelaide (ADL).

Virgin Australia also flies between Brisbane and Proserpine.

Meanwhile, Jetstar is ending its flights to Hamilton Island from Sydney and Melbourne. Again, this hasn’t been publicised. However, another travel agency advisory issued this week confirms those flights will also cease on October 26. The change affects JQ848, JQ849, JQ853, and JQ854.

Qantas presently flies between Sydney and Hamilton Island every day and will start flights between Melbourne and Hamilton Island to cover the axed Jetstar flights from there.

The Qantas booking portal indicates QF1596 will operate up to Hamilton Island every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday morning, with the aircraft (an E190) turning around to operate QF1597 back to Melbourne later in the morning.

The advisory says Jetstar passengers booked to Hamilton Island after October 26 can switch to Qantas flights at no extra cost.

Photo: Qantas