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?

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.

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

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.

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