Customers say Qantas not being 'fair dinkum' on costly outback flights

Critics have slammed Qantas for allegedly not being transparent and fair in its pricing for outback flights, particularly in regional Queensland. A contract review for regional air carriers, initially set to conclude by November, has been delayed by a year. Some are advocating for government intervention, including increased subsidies or greater transparency, due to the high costs of these flights.

The capital city of the Australian outback, Brisbane, makes air travel significantly more expensive compared to other interstate or overseas destinations. A case in point is the return flight between Brisbane and Longreach, priced at $1,386, despite being booked five days in advance. This cost is equivalent to a last-minute Qantas flight to Auckland and nearly $450 less than a last-minute budget flight to Singapore.

John Elliott, a former event coordinator in Winton, expressed frustration over the high costs, stating that it deters both residents and potential visitors to Western Queensland. He noted that corporations in Australia treat people in the bush with a lack of respect, comparing the cost of commercial flights to chartering an 80-seater jet.

Qantas is the sole airline servicing the route between Longreach and Brisbane, with seven out of over 40 regional Queensland routes receiving subsidies from the state government. Maximum fares on these subsidized routes are capped where demand is deemed too low to be commercially viable.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads delayed its decision by 12 months to consider feedback from 37 consultation sessions. Qantas argued that smaller Dash 8-400 planes, which have lower maintenance and operating costs, are more suitable for servicing smaller or remote routes due to their lower profitability per passenger compared to standard commercial jets.

However, these smaller planes are more expensive to operate due to their age and fewer seats. Central Queensland University aviation expert Steve Leib pointed out that the costs continue to rise as these aircraft age and they are less capable of recovering revenue from maintenance.

Several councils have been lobbying for a new contract with the government due to the high costs and limited availability of seats. Murweh Shire Mayor Shaun Radnedge emphasized that prices are not the only issue, as health services have had to postpone plans due to lack of seating. He criticized the state government for not consulting with his shire about the delay in the review.

Elliott suggested that the federal government should force carriers to justify their pricing and prove if remote flights truly cost as much as claimed.