Letters to the editor March 15, 2019

March 15 2019 - 3:30pm
Sharp Airlines first flight landing at Warrnambool Airport .
Sharp Airlines first flight landing at Warrnambool Airport .

Flying assessment

Regarding the Warrnambool to Melbourne airline service future viability, I think we really need to look at some numbers and compare it to the V/line rail service.  The first, and what would seem to be the most obvious advantage of the air service, is the saving in travel time. So let’s compare. By air, 90 minutes versus 205 minutes by rail, so that would appear to make air travel a clear winner on that score. But then again, there are four train services a day compared to only two flights so that also needs to be considered. Now let’s look at the cost.  A one way air ticket is either $195 or $148 depending on which flight time you choose, whereas a full priced train fare is $38.60 and concession fare is $19.30. And then of course, anyone with a Seniors Card gets four free V/line return trips per year plus there are a couple more for anyone with a Commonwealth Seniors Concession card. But here is the real issue when it comes to the time saving. Sharp Airline’s route doesn’t actually carry anyone from Warrnambool to Melbourne at all like the train does. It takes them from Mailors Flat to Essendon, so getting to or from either of those places adds considerable extra time and inconvenience, when you compare it to the train which drops you right in both cities. I would also imagine you couldn’t just jump on the plane a couple of seconds before departure time at either airport, as you can with the train so that would also add to the true time. I am not in any way knocking Sharp Airlines on this and in fact reading between the lines in The Standard article I think they may perhaps agree with my assessment. The air service may be feasible for Mount Gambier, Hamilton and Portland but not for Warrnambool with our direct rail link. So why is our council and apparently the state government so keen to spend our money to prop it up? I think it has a lot more to do with prestige than practicality. They seem to feel that if we want to be seen as a significant regional city, then we must have an air service. But it just doesn’t add up and will not survive without a subsidy. The irony is that our much maligned rail service is in fact just too good for the airline to compete with.

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