BALI BELLY- UP
Jetstar may cut Indo route
COMMUNITY leaders will hold crisis talks with Jetstar today to assess how to ensure the city’s international flights to Bali are maintained.
The Bulletin has learned Jetstar has told Townsville Airport and local leaders the Townsville- Bali service could be scrapped early next year. A Jetstar spokesman yesterday said the carrier’s flights between Townsville and Bali had been “performing poorly for quite a while”.
“This is despite attempts to stimulate demand through marketing and sale fares,” he said. “We have been having discussions with a range of local stakeholders for several months about this route and these discussions are ongoing. If we can’t find a way to make these flights sustainable, it’s possible we may stop flying this route early next year.”
The announcement comes as tensions between Qantas and Townsville Airport heat up.
Townsville Enterprise chief executive officer Patricia O’Callaghan said the meeting was a chance for stakeholders to discuss how to ensure the long- term sustainability of the route.
COMMUNITY leaders will hold crisis talks with Jetstar today to assess how to ensure the city’s international flights to Bali are maintained.
Jetstar has announced the Townsville Bali service may be scrapped early next year.
A Jetstar spokesman yesterday said the company’s flights between Townsville to Bali had been “performing poorly for quite a while”.
“This is despite attempts to stimulate demand through marketing and sale fares,” he said. “We have been having discussions with a range of local stakeholders for several months about this route and these discussions are ongoing.
“If we can’t find a way to make these flights sustainable, it’s possible we may stop flying this route early next year.”
The announcement comes as tensions between Qantas and Townsville Airport officials heat up.
Townsville Airport – owned by Gold Coast- based Queensland Airports Ltd – recently launched a public campaign to gain more support for its $ 80 million Townsville Airport terminal redevelopment.
Qantas has maintained that a $ 3 passenger charge would mean higher fares and fewer people supporting air services to and from Townsville.
Qantas Group has said it would support a more modest upgrade.
Jetstar, wholly owned by Qantas, launched its Townsville to Denpasar flights in September, 2015.
Townsville Enterprise chief executive officer Patricia O’Callaghan said the meeting, called Highline, was a chance for stakeholders to have an open discussion with Jetstar on how to ensure the long- term sustainability of the international route.
“This route is not just about a flight to Bali,” she said. “It’s about the support of our international airport which is about livability and growing our community into a global city.”
Ms O’Callaghan said she trusted that the feud Qantas had with Townsville Airport about the redevelopment were not linked with the drama over Jetstar’s Bali service.
“It is important that the redevelopment and international service issues are not blurred,” she said. “That is why it is important that an open and transparent conversation occurs on the Bali services with Jetstar this week so we can determine a plan to ensure this route is sustainable.”
Townsville Airport chief operating officer and Townsville Enterprise chairman Kevin Gill said it was important the meeting between key stakeholders and Jetstar was positive.
“It would be an enormous shame if this international service was not able to continue,” he said. “The airport, Townsville City Council and Townsville Enterprise are engaging with Jetstar in this regard.
“It would be a real blow if the service was cut because the community and the airport have fought hard to re- establish the airport’s international status.” Mr Gill said an international airport was important for Townsville and Jetstar’s move could see it relegated to a purely domestic airport.
“If Jetstar cut its Townsville Bali service, it would undermine the long- term sustainability of the international part of the airport,” he said.
“Having international airport capability is important for livability for the Townsville North Queensland region.”
Townsville Chamber of Commerce incoming president Debbie Rains, who owns Escape Travel, said it was vital that the Townsville- Bali service continued.
“It will be very difficult for us as a community to entice another carrier or operator to come in and establish a route to anywhere if we have demonstrated that we can’t support something like a Townsville to Bali service,” she said.
“This service is so important for Townsville as it offers a direct link to an international hub.”