CONNECTIVITY is crucial to the health of any region.
Which is why the addition of new, cheaper airline services in and out of Mildura through Bonza, and capped $9.20 V/Line fares to Melbourne, is welcome news for Sunraysia residents.
The first Bonza flight from the Sunshine Coast to Mildura touched down on Tuesday, bringing with it the airline’s first Queensland visitors to the region.
It then took off again an hour or so later for the return journey with a happy crew of beach-bound Mildura passengers.
My family recently travelled to the Sunshine Coast, which required a six-hour drive to Melbourne Airport, long-term parking and shuttle buses, and some overnight accommodation, before finally getting on our flight north. We then had to do the same in reverse on the way back. It was costly, and exhausting.
That Sunraysia residents can now be in Queensland in a matter of hours after leaving their homes – and for an affordable price – is a game-changer for this region.
Attracting tourists to visit us is one thing, but it’s just important to provide locals with an affordable and quick way to see more of Australia.
Initial Mildura Council figures are bullish about the number of annual passengers expected from the Sunshine Coast, while Bonza’s Mildura to Melbourne route will hopefully drive better airfares from the likes of Qantas.
Sunraysia Daily this week questioned Qantas about the excessive costs of its flights to and from Mildura, which have long been the bugbear for locals.
Mildura councillor Mark Eckel claimed it appeared the airline knew that corporate travellers would often book late for business trips and they could take advantage of that.
But what of the regular folk who may have a family emergency they need to get to quickly? Why are they being charged outlandish one-way prices by Qantas that, as an example, ranged from $224 to more than $1000 on Good Friday?
It’s price gouging. And it’s just wrong.
As Cr Eckel pointed out: “I don’t know whether that’s the mentality being used to set outlandish prices but, if you put that into context and you’ve got a $1600 round trip, well you can get to most places in the world for $1600.”
A Qantas spokesperson said that “like all airlines, our cheaper fares sell out first”.
What rot. And hopefully the emergence of some genuine competition will get Qantas to sharpen their expensive pencils in regard to Mildura flights.
The Victorian Government’s decision to do just that and reduce V/Line fares across the state is a big win for country travellers, but particularly for isolated regions like Sunraysia.
While that doesn’t excuse the fact that Mildura is still denied a train service, cutting costs to $9.20 for a weekday full fare to Melbourne (and even cheaper for concession card holders and on weekends) will benefit many.
The next step is a direct and more comfortable route that doesn’t go via Swan Hill and doesn’t take up to nine hours to complete.
But Mildura people have long accepted that the wheels of government move slowly.
The cut-price fares are a small step towards doing what’s right.
Hopefully, Qantas can also jump on board.
