Community airfare scheme extended...

Queensland Airports Limited says it has extended its agreement with Regional Express (Rex) to help keep airfare costs lower for regional Queenslanders.

QAL – the owner and operator of Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports – is continuing to support the Rex community fare scheme following completion of a six-month trial at the end of January.

As part of the scheme, Rex community fare passengers travelling through Mount Isa and Longreach airports received a discount in airport charges. This also benefited passengers travelling to and from these ports to Townsville.

Chief operating officer Kevin Gill said QAL was pleased to do what it could to support efforts by its airline partners to reduce the cost of air travel for regional Queenslanders.

“While we know airport charges only make up a small percentage of each airfare, we’re doing what we can to reduce those costs for locals,” he said.

“We applaud Rex for its efforts to discount fares for regional Queenslanders and have supported the airline in this way since the introduction of its first community fares between Mount Isa and Cairns two years ago.

“More affordable fares are a positive for locals and tourism operators.”

QAL has agreed to continue its support of the Rex community fare scheme until December 31 this year.

Rex Queensland state manager Steve Jones said partnering with QAL and other airport owners and local councils had enabled the community fare scheme to grow to more than 40 regional communities throughout Australia, including 23 Queensland communities.

QAL said it also continued to support resident fares offered by the Qantas group on flights out of Mount Isa and Longreach airports, including residents of Boulia, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Blackall and Barcaldine.