Qantas B737-800 services into and out of Cairns will become more fuel-efficient when the airline completes proving flights tomorrow utilising Required Navigation Performance (RNP) technology.

Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Chris Manning said the airline's fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft used GPS navigation incorporated with the aircraft's onboard avionics for navigation precision.

"As a result of the precise navigational accuracy, approach and departure procedures can be designed without the use of ground based navigation aids.

"RNP enables more accurate flight paths than is possible with conventional navigation aids. As a result, Qantas Boeing 737-800 aircraft will soon become a familiar sight from the city's Esplanade," Captain Manning said.

He said benefits of the change in approach and departure procedures scheduled to commence later in the month, included:

• more reliable and predictable flight paths;
• time and fuel savings;
• shorter route distances;
• reduced aircraft emissions; and
• reduced aircraft noise.

Captain Manning said that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority had approved Qantas to operate RNP flights at other Australian airports at Sydney and Canberra with the Gold Coast, Townsville, Hobart, Ayers Rock Uluru and Alice Springs to be introduced in late September.

Qantas operates 121 flights each week into and out of Cairns. Of those, 47 services are operated by Boeing 737-800 aircraft.