Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
australian aviation logo

Qantas spreads its wings to Orange

written by Chris Frame | February 13, 2020

Travellers in Orange are set to get access to over 45,000 additional seats each year, thanks to a new airlink announced by Australia’s largest airline.

Qantas’ regional arm – QantasLink – intends to commence flights between Sydney and Orange from 1 May. The airline’s 11 weekly flights will be handled by its Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 and Q200 aircraft.

Qantaslink Dash 8 Q300 (Source: Brian Wilkes)

With airlinks currently solely provided by Regional Express (REX), prices on the route often fetch over $400 per person round trip*. Qantas say its presence on the route will bring “much-needed competition to the skies of Central West NSW.”

Orange City Council celebrated the move, with Mayor Reg Kidd saying the new Qantas flights will add a welcome boost to the $500 million dollars visitors already spend annually in the region.

“Orange’s passenger numbers have been growing steadily in recent years as the regional economy has expanded, using the airport as a key connection. It’s fantastic that Qantas see themselves as part of this growing region,” Cr. Kidd said.

==
==

Passengers on the new flights will benefit from a series of upgrades undertaken at Orange Regional Airport in recent years – with runway works, road access improvements and a significant terminal upgrade all having been completed.

The airport is currently focusing on updating parking facilities, with the aim of integrating green technology into the facility.

“We started work last week on the first stage of a car park expansion, that will eventually lead to covered, secure parking on-site. The roof of the carpark will be a huge solar panel array,” Orange City Council’s Deputy Mayor and Airport Advisory Committee Chair Cr. Sam Romano said in a prepared statement.

Additional upgrades will see improvements made to the terminal’s WiFi service, with the aim of bolstering the business facilities at the airport, as well as enabling leisure travellers to stay connected during their time at the terminal.

Romano continues: “As well as being a hub of local employment for flight schools and aircraft maintenance, the Orange Regional Airport is a key gateway for industry, education, mining and tourism…”

“The airport has been built with space for expansion. There’s space for extra check-in desks for the new airline and the luggage carousel can handle the extra volume.”

QantasLink says the airline’s arrival is in response to “years of locals calling for the flying Kangaroo”, with QantasLink CEO John Gissing adding: “Orange is a thriving place with an increasingly diverse economy. There’s growing demand for a premium airline to connect business and leisure travellers.”

“These additional flights will make it easier for Sydney residents and domestic and international tourists to discover one of NSW’s most beautiful regions, with its world-class restaurants and wineries. As part of our commitment to the route we will also promote Orange on a global stage, across Qantas’ domestic and international markets and to the airline’s 13 million frequent flyers.”

However, not everyone is celebrating the flying kangaroo’s arrival.

Incumbent operator Regional Express – which currently offers the only regular passenger air service to Orange – expressed concerned that the new Qantas service will ultimately have a negative impact on the Orange community.

Such a response comes off the back of Qantas’ recent move to establish its own flights from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, and Sydney to Ballina – routes that were serviced by Rex.

Rex recently raised its concerns with the ACCC, accusing Qantas of: “dumping excessive capacity on routes that are already extremely marginal,” which ultimately contributed to its planned withdrawal from of those routes on 30 June and March 29 respectively.

Of QantasLink’s new Orange flights, a Rex spokesperson said: “Rex will be presenting further evidence to the ACCC on the abuse of market power of Qantas. We believe that Qantas’ recent actions do not reflect competition on merits which the law requires, but rather an attempt to abuse their dominant market power and financial strength.

“It will be catastrophic for the community of Orange if Rex pulls out all its weekly slots to Sydney Airport. Qantas has no slots during the peak business demand periods and are only offering unwanted fringe slots to another community and the Orange business community will suffer enormously. Rex will be loathed to do that, but will have to do so if the Orange business community is not supportive of Rex.”

*Based on Google Flight Search conducted on 13 February 1:30PM AEST looking at Orange-Sydney 1 March return, 15 March return, 1 April return and 15 April return.

You need to be a member to post comments. Become a member today!

Comments (2)

  • Rein Zeilstra

    says:

    Competition should bring fares to some sort of affordable level. @$200 strictly single fare to Sydney (I suggest) are mostly beyond reach, and bus and train services soak up the slack. It’ll be interesting to see who sharpens their pencil first.

  • Ben

    says:

    While the competition is welcome, I can kind of see Rex’s point here. Rex I think deliberately try and seek out and serve destinations that are marginal, but they look at the niche market that they can make work if they’re the sole operator. Yes it means the fares are a bit higher, but at least the option of an air service is available. I regularly fly Rex (usually to Bathurst, but sometimes to Orange – so I feel the sting of the higher fares) I do agree however that Orange is a marginal route. If Qantas are just going to dump Capacity and try and push Rex out, then one would hope that they offer an expanded timetable that includes peak travel times. There are only a handful of regional airports in NSW where travel demand supports multiple airlines: Newcastle, Ballina, Albury, Wagga, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo and Tamworth come to mind. I’m not sure Orange is quite in that league yet. Although it is a growing region. Hopefully Qantas and Rex can happily co-exist in Orange and the lower fares will make the traveller the winner.

Comments are closed.

You don't have credit card details available. You will be redirected to update payment method page. Click OK to continue.