Don’t push the airlines, Manning tells Townsville

MAYOR Bob Manning has offered his southern counterpart some advice after an airport funding dummy-spit led to Qantas warning it may reduce services to Townsville.

“It’s not for us to tell Townsville how they should do things. That’s their business,” Cr Manning said.

“But you have to get everyone around the table and talk about these things.”

Townsville Regional Council Mayor Jenny Hill called for residents to boycott the national carrier over its refusal to help fund upgrades to the city’s airport terminal, saying it had “pulled out of supporting Townsville”.

Qantas hit back with a warning some of its existing services to Townsville were commercially marginal and Cr Hill’s comments “put services, employment and future investment in Townsville at risk”.

Cr Manning, who was Cairns Port Authority chief when the airport still fell under its purview, said the reluctance by airlines to fund terminal upgrades was nothing new.

“Airlines aren’t like governments. They don’t just invest in infrastructure they wouldn’t necessarily get a return on,” he said. “If it’s operational, they are all over it like a rash. But the beautification of a terminal will always meet suspicion.”

Cr Manning said councils regarded terminals as the gateway to the city and therefore attractive to tourists.