What Does the Future Hold for Hervey Bay Airport?
Well basically not much if what the Gossip has heard is anywhere near the truth.
It seems that insiders are suggesting that as soon as the Bundaberg Airport upgrade is completed Jetstar … the ones who left Hervey Bay for “operational reasons” – will begin flying in there and Virgin will then cease flying into Hervey Bay and fly into Bundaberg instead.
But why would Virgin want to leave Hervey Bay? The figures tell the story … currently there are a total of 27 flights a week into Hervey Bay with 1532 seats sold on those 27 flights. Compare that to these figures and you’ll see why the tourists aren’t coming and seats aren’t being sold.
Mackay Airport with 10707 seats across 94 flights per week
Rockhampton Airport with 9209 seats across 99 flights per week
Proserpine (Whitsunday) Airport with 2499 seats across only 14 flights per week.
Sunshine Coast Airport has 9651 seats capacity per week across only 56 flights per week.
While three of those airports see far more traffic than the Hervey Bay airport Proserpine Airport sees fewer flights for many more seats sold.
Add to that the fact that Bundaberg is a far bigger town and they have a regional council that is doing a far better job of promoting their region than the Fraser Coast Regional Council … a council that is beginning to frustrate many local people with its almost inept handling of just about everything … and the situation does not look good.
So is it really true? Will Virgin leave Hervey Bay airport? I guess we’ll find out in a few months time.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Whether Virgin stays or leaves is not the real issue. The fact is we missed the boat 4/5 years ago. HB is in a cul-de-sac you have to turn off the highway to get here. This deters outsiders useing our airport.
Many of us pushed for a joint Maryborough/Hervey Bay airport, with an international capability out Torbanlea way, close to rail and highway. Sadly to no avail!! Why should we? After all we had two airports and we were seperate cities.
There is an old saying ” you reap, what you sow”, one can only hope we have a good harvest.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Jon I think that you might have just committed the Hervey Bay equivalent of heresy. I think you just suggested that Hervey Bay is a backwater and sadly, I think you’re right.
I think we’re a town that hasn’t been able to make up its mind about just what we wanted to be … and now it’s probably too late.
Stuart
November 6th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
In relation to Jo’s comment Bundaberg is also a cul-de-sac in the sense that it is also not located near a major highway.
A key factor influencing Virgin’s decision to remain committed to the Hervey Bay region is that the Hervey Bay air travel market is predominantly driven by leisure travel particulalrly with the proximety of Fraser Island which is much more readily accessible from the Bay the Bundaberg.
I would also like to know of your so-called “insiders” I am sure that the majority of them would not be able to tell a 737 from an A320 and further more i am sure they havent the slightest idea on what they are talking about when it comes to aviation and they are merely speculating about possible scenarios.
I am in the process of completing a university degree in aviation management and one thing I have learnt so far through my degree is that people not activly involved in the industry who often speculate about industry outcomes often don’t have th slightest clue what they’re talking about. It is so very often these individuals that can have the most negative impact on the aviation industry for it is these “rumors” that an airline will lose interest/confidence in a particular market (as has been the case at many regional airports sucha as Ballina where Jetstar suspended Melbourne services based on weak consumer confidence brought on by wild “rumors” about fare increases and capacity cuts.) so unless you’re an industry professional I suggest that you just sit tight and let the pros do the talking.
In my professional opinion with more than 5 years experience in the industry I can say that for the time being Virgin will remain committed to the Hervey Bay route as they have signifcantly downgraded the capacity on the route and as such have been able to increase fares and in turn profits. Although this increase in profits may not be viewed as very friendly and in many cases I have heard complaints of how the airlines are ripping us off etc it is crucial for the fares to be increased so as to allow for the up-keep of the service as this is what brought Jetstar out of the market for they had too many cheap fares and as such were not able to sustain an appropriate profit and ultimatly were forced to exit the market. If people were willing to pay $30-$50 extra per ticket then maybe Jetstar would still be here today.
So to all of you out there who continue on complaining about how expensive the fares are from Hervey Bay and how the airlines are ripping us off think again becasue in the end it is these air fares which are keeping the airlines here and I know for a fact that i’d rather pay an extra $50 for a flight then have no air service at all and be forced to drive to Brisbane.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:27 am
Hi Avi8or
Thanks for your comments and I understand what you’re saying and you’re right, my “insiders” probably don’t know the difference between a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 but they have a very good idea of what they’re talking about.
Their businesses barely survive or prosper depending on the number of bums on seats that fly into Hervey Bay airport … and for all they care the bums could be arriving on broomsticks just so long as they keep coming. Undoubtedly they’d like to see the cost of tickets reduced but they understand that everyone has to make a profit.
So their beef isn’t with the airlines … their beef is with the authorities who are supposed to be promoting Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast and who are supposed to be making the right decisions to make this an attractive tourist destination … and that’s just not happening.
Instead we’ve got people in positions of authority in both the Council and the Regional Tourism Board who are hiding their heads in the sand and declaring that tourist numbers are up … when room occupancy rates across the entire range of tourist accommodation are way down.
And that statement is not just based on anecdotal evidence … it comes from Tourism Queensland’s own Tourist Accommodation Data Sheet for the year ended June 2009.
Stuart
November 7th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Although I found Avi8or’s post interesting, I fail to see the connection to the “failure” of our airport. I don’t see tourists willingly paying $30-$50 extra to keep our airport viable. I also fail to see whether one can tell the difference between an 737 or an A320 as having any bearing on tourist numbers.
I hope I’m wrong, but if as a result of the changes to Fraser Island’s 4×4 transport, cost go up? or
If as a result of Bundy’s airport being more accessible, we lose bums on seats?
The chances of our airport ever paying it’s way will be slim and we will all be the losers.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:48 am
If you google Hervey Bay Airport you will come across comments made by the then mayor Ted Sorenson. The main comment of interest is that it will not cost the rate payers of Hervey Bay. This with the new extention and the loss of Jetstar I find pretty hard to believe. Has anyone asked Teddy ? if so was the reply, “that was before amalgamation” the standard answer. The airport stage one would have been paid for in ten years, so why were Virgin and Jetstar not signed to a lease period? Jetstar could have increased their fares, within reason, but chose not too and I believe the council had little time to react to the decision. Occupancy is well down, but whilst we have the FCSBRTB handing out awards to Board members and Self Rated Accommodation what hope have we got of changing things, along with fudged figures.
I have worked in the Aircraft industry for Airbus (British Aerospace) many years ago, put the two planes side by side, fat fusalage,two engines and thin wings, its hard to tell the differance.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Can someone please tell me where the figure of 27 flights per week comes from because I can’t find them.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Bob,
They must be counting Qantaslink, Fraser Island Joy Flights, Lady Elliot, MI Helicopters and private planes.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Stuart I fully agree with your comments about council being incompetent I work for an airline in Hervey Bay and can say that they are continually screwing us around so spot on.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:16 am
As a regular commuter between here and Sydney I am completely dismayed at recent price increases and bad service.
Velocity points are worthless here, just looked up two months in advance thinking I’d be organised way in advance for next trip and the “added” cost to pay is much higher than a year ago (actually higher than airfare back then) combined with a rather large points add in. May be a bit longer travel time to go through Qantas link but giving much better deals. How long in advance do we have to know our travel plans??? Virginblue have lost it, and just milking now the only direct flight. Backwards step.. What is Hervey Bay doing about this?
November 26th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
tried to book a flight today online through flight centre and hervey bay/fraser coast is no longer on the drop down menu either… sheesh..