Huge airfare increases for regional Australia
22nd December, 2009
People travelling from at least 20 airports in regional Australia face massive fare rises following the decision of the Federal Labor Government to introduce mandatory security checking for some turbo-prop passenger aircraft.The Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Transport Minister, Warren Truss, said today that low cost discount fares to regional airports will be a thing of the past and some airfares could more than double to meet the estimated $100 million cost of the new security measures.
Some councils will face the cost of completely rebuilding their airport terminals to meet the new security requirements. Expensive x-ray equipment will need to be purchased and new secure areas built for passengers and luggage. If the full cost is directed at airlines – and then onto passengers – it will make services to some airports unviable.
In last week’s Aviation White Paper, the Federal Government announced that from 2014 mandatory passenger and luggage screening already applying to airports where jet powered aircraft are engaged will be applied to airports where turbo-prop aircraft of a similar capacity operate.
Mr Truss said the new requirements will particularly affect the operations of the QantasLink fleet of Q400s that are being introduced to regional routes.
At least 14 airports currently served by QantasLink and possibly another eight airports will need to be rebuilt or have security upgraded to meet the new criteria.
The airports that will require upgrades if Q400 services are to continue include: Bundaberg, Blackwater, Cloncurry, Devonport, Emerald, Gladstone, Longreach, Port Lincoln, Tamworth, Weipa, Wagga Wagga, Barcaldine, Blackall and Horn Island.
Those where services could be upgraded to the Q400 in the future include: Armidale, Biloela, Charleville, Dubbo, Hervey Bay, Moranbah, Moree and Roma.
Mr Truss said the Rudd Labor Government must immediately commit to paying the cost of these security upgrades. It is yet another oversight contained in the White Paper, which was full of holes, broken promises, heroic assumptions and announcements of more reviews and inquiries.
Regional operators will be faced with a choice of downgrading aircraft used on their regional routes or axing services altogether.
“Air services are vital to regional communities. These regional lifelines will be stripped from them if the cost of flying becomes too high. The Government must provide some answers now,” Mr Truss said.
