Qantas suspends direct flights between Melbourne and Wagga until next year

Business and civic leaders have expressed disappointment at this week’s announcement that Qantas will suspend all direct flights between Wagga and Melbourne from next month. Find out why.

Wagga’s business and civic leaders have expressed disappointment at this week’s announcement that Qantas will suspend all direct flights between Wagga and Melbourne from next month.

Currently Qantas operates three return services per week from Wagga to Melbourne, but these will be suspended from August 1 and will not resume until March next year.

Passengers loyal to the national airline can opt to travel from Wagga to Melbourne via Sydney, while Regional Express Airlines will continue to offer direct flights between the two cities.

A QantasLink spokeswoman said that the service was being suspended due to a lack of available aircraft.

“Unfortunately we’ve had to suspend our Wagga-Melbourne flights due to a temporary change in aircraft availability at Melbourne that impacts our Wagga schedule,” she said.

The spokeswoman said customers with bookings impacted by the suspension were being contacted and provided with a number of options, including a flight credit or a refund.

“Qantas will continue to operate its direct flights from Wagga to Sydney and Brisbane,” she said.

A QantasLink spokeswoman said suspension of Wagga to Melbourne flights would start on August 1.

Qantas currently operates 18 return services per week between Wagga Wagga and Sydney, and three return services per week to Brisbane.

Wagga City Council Mayor Dallas Tout said he was disappointed by the suspension, which he confirmed was not due to passenger demand but operational changes with the airline.

“It is disappointing with the suspension of the service, but I’m happy it was a suspension not a cancellation,” he said.

Cr Tout said council would have ongoing meetings with Qantas to discuss the future of the service.

Wagga City Mayor Dallas Tout is disappointed by the airline’s decision.

He added that he would be open to the idea of another third carrier operating services out of Wagga.

“Any further assistance would be much appreciated. We welcome any carrier out there who wants to fly to and from Wagga, they’re welcome to join the airport,” he said.

Destination Riverina Murray general manager Yvette Myhill said the decision came at a time when demand for travel to regional NSW was increasing.

“Air travel is a key driver of the visitor economy in the Riverina, with Wagga Wagga Airport being a crucial link for both business and leisure travellers,” she said.

“We know that demand for travel to regional NSW is increasing, and note last month’s announcement by Rex Airlines of a 67 per cent increase on their Sydney to Wagga weekday return route.

“We appreciate the difficult decision this must have been for Qantas and acknowledge the challenges that workforce shortages are currently causing across the tourism industry.”

Meantime Chair of Visit Riverina, Matt Lucas, said it was a disappointing result for the region, especially for the travelling business market.

“This suspension would impact travelling business people to and from Melbourne and will put additional pressure on small businesses who rely on the business traveller from Melbourne,” he said.

“This will have a major flow-on effect for the local airline staff but also for the cafe at the airport and the taxi drivers who need these flights to maintain business and revenue.”

Mr Lucas said the decision would also impact people’s confidence around flying, and may see people turn to other transport options - which would have an impact on airline services already under pressure due to the Covid pandemic.

“I think people will be less confident in flying which will see people drive or use other transport which will impact airliner carriers due to less demand, and it could see flights halted,” he said.

Mr Lucas said the recent industrial action with Regional Express Airlines had also had a major impact on business travellers.

Hundreds of Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) REX Saab pilot members voted to take a range of protected industrial action late last month, due to a dispute with the company over pay and conditions.

“We already saw what happened with Rex’s pilot strike and its impact, this will also have a major impact as well on the overall travelling market into the future,” Mr Lucas said.

However REX Airlines ruled out adding any more services between Wagga and Melbourne, with a spokesperson stating the company was “not surprised by the decision that was taken by Qantas”.

“We are in a time when the other operators are in complete disarray, with massive cancellations, many truckloads full of lost baggage and reduction of schedules, Rex continues to grow its services with outstanding reliability,” the spokesperson said.

“The latest Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics performance results ... show Qantas having a shocking on time departure rate of 58.7 per cent compared to Rex’s 82.7 per cent.

“Rex has taken delivery of another SAAB 340 turboprop, further bolstering its fleet of aircraft operating to regional and rural destinations in every state in Australia.

“The 34-seat aircraft, registered VH-ZPO, arrived in Australia from the United States (this week) and will enter service once final engineering and regulatory checks have been completed.

“These routes include Sydney to Albury, Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Merimbula, Orange, Port Macquarie, and Wagga Wagga, as well as Melbourne to Mildura and Adelaide to Port Lincoln.”