Wagga local Tina Stapleton thinks regional airfares are ridiculous. Photo: Erin Hee.
The Federal Government has launched an inquiry into the soaring costs of flying regionally, after news of “excessive” regional airfares.
Region has highlighted the soaring cost of flying for those travelling from the Riverina, with return flights from Griffith to Sydney reaching $1309. Direct airfares from Wagga to Sydney can be as high as $839.
Airfares for a family of four to fly from Wagga to Sydney could set them back more than what the average household earns in a week – which was the reality for Wagga mum Tina Stapleton, who had to travel to Sydney for her son’s rugby game in October.
For Mrs Stapleton, a round trip would have been $441 per person. Flying to Sydney would have set them back $1764. The median weekly income for a household in Wagga is only $1564, according to the most recent census.
“It wasn’t viable because petrol is only around $1.70 at the moment,” she said.
“So for us to get up there and back petrol-wise, it was around $250.”
Even though she was stuck in a “painful” three-hour standstill in traffic while leaving Camden, she still thinks it was better than paying the airfare.
“We were meant to be home by 6:30 pm,” she said. “We left that area at 6 o’clock.”
In response to the Aviation White Paper released in August 2024, which sets out long-term policies for the aviation industry over a 30-year period, the Productivity Commission will look into regional airfares, including competition, pricing practices and whether profits along the supply chain are fair.
Announcing the inquiry in a joint media release, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers highlighted the importance of affordable and reliable air services for rural and regional communities.
“We know that safe, affordable and reliable air services are vital for regional and remote communities, not just for travel, but for access to healthcare, education and jobs,” he said.
“More accessible regional airfares can help drive local economies, support tourism and boost productivity in regional Australia.”
Region contacted Qantas for a response to the announcement of the inquiry and some of the findings in the Aviation White Paper, which included the revelation that the average ticket price per kilometre was 52 per cent higher for flights involving regional airports compared to flights between two cities.
A spokesperson said pricing and availability was subject to market demand.
The white paper findings suggest the number of regional routes has fallen despite an overall growth in passenger numbers.
The number of regional routes fell from 458 to 291 between 1989 and 2021 and the number of remote routes fell from 264 to 163 in the same period. Many routes are now serviced by only one airline.
“As an airline founded in outback Queensland, we know how important aviation is to regional communities,” the spokesperson said.
“Regional aviation is operationally and commercially difficult. Vast distances, high input costs, small populations and irregular demand patterns place pressure on the commercial viability of air services.
“We look forward to working closely with the Productivity Commission on the inquiry so that the challenges of regional aviation are well understood and help ensure regional aviation’s long-term sustainability.”
Qantas previously told Region there had been no increases in regional flight prices over the past few months, and that it had a discounted compassionate fare program to make travel easier for customers when they needed support the most.
The airline said return airfares above $1000 from Sydney to Griffith were rare and occurred only if a booking was made at short notice when few spots were still available.
The Productivity Commission will provide a final report in about 18 months’ time. The terms of reference are available on the Productivity Commission website.
