Qantas to fly to Broken Hill

[aikman]

I noticed Qantas is advertising a sale fare to Broken Hill. Is this a new route? I don't recall hearing any news about it.

 

[NSun]

Yes it was just announced.

Twice weekly (Monday and Friday) using Dash 8-300 starting on April 8.

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/broken-hill-bound-flying-kangaroo-to-launch-new-flights-to-iconic-aussie-outback-town/

 

[Mattg]

Woohoo! I love visiting Broken Hill but the train only runs once per week and Rex can be quite expensive. Good news that Qantas is coming in.

The regular fare of $269 one-way is a bit high, but there is award availability for 8,000 Qantas points + $28.

I do wonder if this is a pre-emptive strike by Qantas to prevent Bonza coming onto the route? I would've thought SYD-BHQ twice per week might have worked well for Bonza at the right price. Either way, this is good for Broken Hill.

 

[Carrots]

Would've been good to see ADL lobbed in there also. Adelaide - Broken Hill - Sydney (and vice versa). Or just an ADL service full stop.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Wanted to get the train in the past, but both ways would be painful. This could be a fun way to spend a day or two.

 

[Andrew Curran]

The last time Qantas went to Broken Hill was in 1954 when they flew the Queen and Phillip out there

 

[Lynda2475]

I've never been to broken hill, might make for a fun weekend trip assuming there is award availability

 

[esquire]

Been hoping QF would fly there - great news - will be booking flights today ! (Prices are (unsuprisingly) quite high for the Mon-Fri combo (although beats the $2,100 fare on Rex I had last year with a stop in DBO ...) , but excellent value for a Fri-Mon break, especially with the $189 sale or on points)

 

[dylarr]

This is one route I've always thought Qantas would eventually launch. Pricing is a steep compared to Rex's community fare (which is $199 o/w) but competitive with the Promo and Saver fares which seem to start at $299/$368.40 o/w respectively.

Qantas has operated into Broken Hill a couple of times over the last year. I'm assuming they have been charters.

The Q200 was flown into BHQ back in May last year. The Q400 was flown in July last year.

QF2298: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24
QF2299: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

Q300 VH-SBI flew in yesterday and is still on the ground. Probably to support the announcement activities.

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

 

[Blackadder]

Qantas challenging Rex in Broken Hill after 18-year run for regional carrier

Regional Express Airlines' 18-year monopoly on flights to and from Broken Hill is over as QantasLink emerges as competition.

www.abc.net.au

 

[eastwest101]

Qantas probably saw the outrageous fares that Rex were charging and thought they wanted some of that, twice a week might be good start and might do for some but not all (probably dependant on Dash 8 -300 availability as the -400 is too much capacity).

Since Covid struck, Rex have cut back a lot of frequency and redirected all their SYD-BHQ services via DBO which adds significant time and cost to commuting in and out of Broken Hill. A lot of these problems were outside Rex's control (SA, NSW and VIC state border closures) but Rex were certainly price gouging on the SYD-BHQ routes, although not so much on the ADL-BHQ routes, to the point where it often made sense to bypass SYD altogether and reroute travel via ADL if state borders allowed it.

I imagine many in the mining industry and in NSW Health are sick of subsidizing Rex's loss-making jet operations paying regional expensive airfares and will be using these new Qantas services (if competitive and flight times work), as having competition is advantageous. The only issue is that if Rex ceases their SYD-BHQ services then that route will become a QF monopoly. I would imagine that Rex would maintain their ADL-BHQ services (often via MQL) even if they pull up stumps on SYD-BHQ.

 

[jase05]

This is one route I've always thought Qantas would eventually launch. Pricing is a steep compared to Rex's community fare (which is $199 o/w) but competitive with the Promo and Saver fares which seem to start at $299/$368.40 o/w respectively.

Qantas has operated into Broken Hill a couple of times over the last year. I'm assuming they have been charters.

The Q200 was flown into BHQ back in May last year. The Q400 was flown in July last year.

QF2298: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24
QF2299: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

Q300 VH-SBI flew in yesterday and is still on the ground. Probably to support the announcement activities.

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

QF have run some freight flights in occasionally during the pandemic.

 

[jase05]

Qantas probably saw the outrageous fares that Rex were charging and thought they wanted some of that, twice a wekkk might be good start and might do for some but not all (probably dependant on Dash 8 -300 availability as the -400 is too much capacity).

Since Covid struck, Rex have cut back a lot of frequency and redirected all their SYD-BHQ services via DBO which adds significant time and cost to commuting in and out of Broken Hill. A lot of these problems were outside Rex's control (SA, QLD and VIC state border closures) but Rex were certainly price gouging on the SYD-BHQ routes, although not so much on the ADL-BHQ routes, to the point where it often made sense to bypass SYD altogether and reroute travel via ADL if state borders allowed it.

I imagine many in the mining industry and in NSW Health are sick of subsidizing Rex's loss-making jet operations and will be using these new Qantas services (if competitive and flight times work) as having competition is advantageous. The only issue is that if Rex ceases their SYD-BHQ services then that route will become a QF monopoly. I would imagine that Rex would maintain their ADL-BHQ services (often via MQL) even if they pull up stumps on SYD-BHQ.

A fair chunk of air freight and post for Broken Hill comes via ADL and Rex gets some good money from that

 

[Mattg]

Qantas probably saw the outrageous fares that Rex were charging and thought they wanted some of that, twice a week might be good start and might do for some but not all (probably dependant on Dash 8 -300 availability as the -400 is too much capacity).

Since Covid struck, Rex have cut back a lot of frequency and redirected all their SYD-BHQ services via DBO which adds significant time and cost to commuting in and out of Broken Hill. A lot of these problems were outside Rex's control (SA, QLD and VIC state border closures) but Rex were certainly price gouging on the SYD-BHQ routes, although not so much on the ADL-BHQ routes, to the point where it often made sense to bypass SYD altogether and reroute travel via ADL if state borders allowed it.

I can't see two weekly services to Sydney on QantasLink causing Rex to pull out of its daily flights to SYD, DBO, MQL, ADL etc. If anything, I would say the new flights might stimulate a bit of additional demand between Sydney and Broken Hill, increasing the pie for everyone and helping the local Broken Hill economy.

By the way, if anyone's interested in the train journey from Broken Hill to Sydney, I posted a trip report in 2020:

NSW TrainLink Xplorer train from Broken Hill to Sydney

This week I caught the NSW TrainLink Xplorer train from Broken Hill to Sydney. I thought a few people might be interested in reading about the experience. Firstly, this is a long trip. The train leaves Broken Hill at 7.45am (CST) and arrives in Sydney at 9.38pm (AEST), giving a journey time of...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Mattg]

Qantas challenging Rex in Broken Hill after 18-year run for regional carrier

Regional Express Airlines' 18-year monopoly on flights to and from Broken Hill is over as QantasLink emerges as competition.

www.abc.net.au

At the bottom of this article, it says "The ABC has reached out to Rex for comment."

I'm looking forward to seeing what Rex has to say. In anticipation, I've made a bingo chart. Wonder if I can get five in a line?

 

[Melburnian1]

Wanted to get the train in the past, but both ways would be painful. This could be a fun way to spend a day or two.

If you have time - not everyone does - break the journey and stay overnight at Lithgow, Bathurst, Orange or even Katoomba. I have only once done the full trip in one day.

The pluses are XPlorer railcar seats are more comfortable than airline seats, wildlife viewing is reasonably common, the on-board buffet stays open and has a reasonable range and (thank God) it's rare for the aircon to fail.

Plus there's a good range of country to see, and between Parkes and Broken Hill this NSW TrainLink service scoots along. As discussed elsewhere, purchasing a 'Discovery Pass' can substantially reduce the cost if one is an adult fare traveller (not senior/concession card holder).

NSW TL also has a coach service (not every day) BHQ to ADL and v.v. So that makes a one way by air (say SYD-ADL) possible then surface back gradually to Sydney.

Air fares on the route are likely to mostly remain stratospheric even though QFd is joining ZL.

 

[Melburnian1]

At the bottom of this article, it says "The ABC has reached out to Rex for comment."

I'm looking forward to seeing what Rex has to say. In anticipation, I've made a bingo chart. Wonder if I can get five in a line?

View attachment 270681

Mr Sharp might also usefully refer to how QAN has a huge debt that's continually increasing, an extension of your 'loss-making' tile.

The QF Board ought be informing the QFi/QFd CEO that cuts need to be made, not new routes.

 

[jakeseven7]

This is fantastic news for our business, we fly almost everywhere regionally so having the connectivity of QF will mean a lot of happy campers in our business. Can't come soon enough. Would prefer daily but hopefully it is successful and builds up.


With the inclusion of Broken Hill, the Qantas Group has launched 52 new domestic routes, including to many country destinations since the start of the global pandemic, as Australians seek out new holiday adventures close to home.

 

[Melburnian1]

At the bottom of this article, it says "The ABC has reached out to Rex for comment."

I'm looking forward to seeing what Rex has to say. In anticipation, I've made a bingo chart. Wonder if I can get five in a line?

View attachment 270681

You hit the bullseye with 'predatory', 'lossmaking', 'unsustainable' and 'anti-competitive' going by this report in 'The Australian' tonight:

"...Rex was not so enamoured with the idea of competition on Broken Hill routes, with deputy chairman John Sharp declaring the Qantas was aimed at putting the smaller carrier out of business.

“Broken Hill has always been a single airline market, because the market’s not big enough to justify more than one operator,” said Mr Sharp.

“Qantas can’t make a profit on these small routes, there’s no possibility of them making a profit on these small routes and their only purpose is to punish Rex by attacking us in our regional market and trying to force us to retreat from the domestic airline business by undermining us in our traditional business.”

It was estimated that about 28,000 people a year flew in and out of Broken Hill.

Since the pandemic erupted, Qantas has added 52 new domestic and regional routes as other parts of its network were mothballed.

Fares to Broken Hill will start from $189 one way on sale until February 21, jumping to $269 beyond that date."

 

[jakeseven7]

You hit the bullseye with 'predatory', 'lossmaking', 'unsustainable' and 'anti-competitive' going by this report in 'The Australian' tonight:

"...Rex was not so enamoured with the idea of competition on Broken Hill routes, with deputy chairman John Sharp declaring the Qantas was aimed at putting the smaller carrier out of business.

“Broken Hill has always been a single airline market, because the market’s not big enough to justify more than one operator,” said Mr Sharp.

“Qantas can’t make a profit on these small routes, there’s no possibility of them making a profit on these small routes and their only purpose is to punish Rex by attacking us in our regional market and trying to force us to retreat from the domestic airline business by undermining us in our traditional business.”

It was estimated that about 28,000 people a year flew in and out of Broken Hill.

Since the pandemic erupted, Qantas has added 52 new domestic and regional routes as other parts of its network were mothballed.

Fares to Broken Hill will start from $189 one way on sale until February 21, jumping to $269 beyond that date."

Yawn whine whine whine same old Rex