Airnorth will commence daily Darwin-Nhulunbuy-Cairns services from August 18. (Rob Finlayson)
Qantas will withdraw its services to Nhulunbuy in eastern Arnhem Land from August 17 due to “decreased travel demand” following mining giant Rio Tinto’s decision to close its Alcan refinery at Gove.
QantasLink chief executive John Gissing told the NT News that: “The decision was not taken lightly, but after a thorough review of the route, it was found to not be viable to continue operating. This coincides with the closure of the Rio Tinto aluminium refinery.”
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
Login
Become a Member
To continue reading the rest of this article, please login.Forgot password?
To unlock all Australian Aviation magazine content and again unlimited access to our daily news and features, become a member today! A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
Local carrier Airnorth has stepped in the breach by saying it will commence a daily Darwin-Nhulunbuy-Cairns service using 76-seat Embraer E-170s from August 18.
Very poor no community consultation re timetable most people out of Gove have other sectors to fly now people are being forced to stay overnight in cairns as the air north flight has a 1 and 1/2 hr turn around in cairns. I find this very poor it is a lucrative deal for air north who have shown no consideration to people in Gove with not a drop of consultation. Why is qantas flying direct cairns to Darwin and not cairns Gove Darwin just one plane what about consultation oh dear me yes that’s right it was all about mining Rio and and money!!!
Matthew
says:
There was no obligation for Air North to even take up the route. It could quite easily have been replaced by small turboprop aircraft instead of jets.
Alan
says:
Hi Gayle,
I’m booked to fly with Airnorth and connect with Qantas service to Melbourne. Same thing on the way back. I think this schedule is excellent compared to Qantas’s. We spend less time on the ground in Cairns! Is there something that I missed? If anything it is Airnorth that should be thanked for continuing to provide a service rather than make us travel via another port.
Rodney Marinkovic
says:
A ways will be business, just if declining numbers of pasanger, use smaller aircraft. Any anther problem easy to make deal with new carrier. Where is good will, there is good solution. All ways.
Rod. Mrinkovic, AME. Sydney /// Kraljevo-Serbia.
iscover
Gayle leverett
says:Very poor no community consultation re timetable most people out of Gove have other sectors to fly now people are being forced to stay overnight in cairns as the air north flight has a 1 and 1/2 hr turn around in cairns. I find this very poor it is a lucrative deal for air north who have shown no consideration to people in Gove with not a drop of consultation. Why is qantas flying direct cairns to Darwin and not cairns Gove Darwin just one plane what about consultation oh dear me yes that’s right it was all about mining Rio and and money!!!
Matthew
says:There was no obligation for Air North to even take up the route. It could quite easily have been replaced by small turboprop aircraft instead of jets.
Alan
says:Hi Gayle,
I’m booked to fly with Airnorth and connect with Qantas service to Melbourne. Same thing on the way back. I think this schedule is excellent compared to Qantas’s. We spend less time on the ground in Cairns! Is there something that I missed? If anything it is Airnorth that should be thanked for continuing to provide a service rather than make us travel via another port.
Rodney Marinkovic
says:A ways will be business, just if declining numbers of pasanger, use smaller aircraft. Any anther problem easy to make deal with new carrier. Where is good will, there is good solution. All ways.
Rod. Mrinkovic, AME. Sydney /// Kraljevo-Serbia.