Totally grounded

WITH the Grafton to Sydney route of Regional Express Airlines on the chopping block, Clarence Valley Council fears no other airline will be able to replace it.

WITH the Grafton to Sydney route of Regional Express airlines (Rex) on the chopping block, Clarence Valley Council fears no other airline will be able to take its place.

The route, which operates from the Grafton Regional Airport, is one of seven the Rex board of directors is reviewing for feasibility as a result of high fuel costs and the Federal Government's plan to withdraw its regional airlines subsidy from July next year.

Mayor Richie Williamson said if the Grafton to Sydney route was lost it would leave a void that might not be filled.

“Put it this way, we don't exactly have any other airlines knocking on the door right now,” Cr Williamson said.

He said it was crucial for the council to do everything it could to hold on to the Rex service and he had been writing to Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Regional Development Simon Crean to appeal against the Government's review of the regional airline subsidy.

He said the council was also keeping in close contact with the Rex board of directors and stressing the importance of its service to the Valley.

“We'll certainly be communicating with them (the board) the importance of their service in the Clarence, economically of course, the tourism link and also culturally.

"It's certainly important that we have a direct link with the capital of our state, Sydney,” he said.

Cr Williamson believed the Rex board wasn't taking the review process lightly and he commended them for their transparency and good faith through the review.

“They've been very much in communication with the council – they've promised and we've seen already open dialogue on the situation, so I think the board need to be congratulated on keeping council and, in turn the community, in the loop as they move through the review process,” he said.

“Rex has serviced the Clarence well in a difficult financial time for airlines and we're hopeful that good service will continue into the future.”

Originally published as Totally grounded