Toowoomba residents want flights to Townsville, Melbourne, Sydney as Jetstar looks at flying from Wellcamp Airport

YOUR SAY: With major airline Jetstar weighing up interstate flights from Wellcamp Airport, Toowoomba residents have made it clear where they’d like to be linked to by air.

Townsville is the number one destination for Toowoomba residents, with locals calling for flights to North Queensland from Wellcamp Airport amid rumblings of a new connection.

Chronicle readers overwhelmingly suggested the major regional city should be connected to the Toowoomba region via flights.

Of the more than 620 votes cast for more than 25 destinations, 16 per cent argued for Townsville, narrowly ahead of Melbourne (15.2 per cent) and Cairns (12 per cent).

Other popular suggestions were Sydney (10.6 per cent) and Mackay (5.4 per cent).

Residents were allowed to suggest more than one destination.

It comes after it was revealed major airline Jetstar was reportedly exploring flights between Toowoomba and Melbourne, which had been a previous route for low-cost airline Bonza prior to its financial collapse this year.

Bonza also connected Toowoomba to Townsville, with many residents saying this was the route that should be revived.

Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport. Picture: supplied.

“Rumour is that Townsville will reopen international routes. That would be a possible stepping stone to Asia and Pacific,” one reader said.

While cost was a major factor for many people, the more crucial requirement was that an airline flying out of Toowoomba.

“What I’d really like is affordable flights that aren’t delayed and have a contingency plan, and a blinking bus to the airport,” another resident noted.

While Jetstar didn’t confirm it was interested in Melbourne, Queensland Country Tourism chief executive Peter Homan said talks were under way between the airline and Wellcamp Airport.

“That’s an opportunity coming up with, Jetstar into Melbourne, so we’re really excited about that,” he said.

“Those negotiations are going on with them at the moment, so we’re excited if that can be pulled off.”

Heres’s what you said:

Flight cost needs to be reasonable

Maz Ronan

I’d love to see flights that don’t cost three times as much as flights from Brisbane.

Anita Edwards

It’s cheaper to travel to Brisbane airport pay parking fees then it is to fly from wellcamp unfortunately. Don’t worry about what flights, reduce the cost to fly out of Wellcamp that will help keep it going.

Martin Hadfield

Unless they are comparable with the cost of fares from Brissie or GC, people will still travel down the hill. At end of day, when it’s $500 or so cheaper to fly from Brissie, that’s what people will do.

Reliability a big issue for Toowoomba flights

Tim Ford

I Would love to see a reliable service that does not cancel flights / leave you stranded unable to get back to Wellcamp. Whoever is next must maintain consistency and earn trust.

Mandy Polzin

A reliable service that puts passengers first is long overdue in Toowoomba. Jetstar or any other airline taking over must prioritise maintaining schedules, communicating effectively, and ensuring passengers can get to and from Wellcamp without the stress of cancellations or being left stranded. We had to go via Brisbane airport recently due to flights changing and the price went up too much at wellcamp and then to say our flights weren’t guaranteed this was extra stressful.

Stephen Merrell

Trying to do cheap flights from tmba won’t work. The price needs to be consistent with where we are. The flights need to be reliable.

Michelle Betros

That would be great as long as it is reliable. More flights would be great again too. Prices are a joke and forces us to go from Brisbane and Gold Coast.