“CANBERRANS are paying a premium price to choose air travel and their plans are being messed up because they are receiving an unreliable service,” says Stephen Byron.
The Canberra Airport managing director was calling on the Federal government to step in when airlines have higher than average flight cancellation rates.
In September, cancellations on the Canberra to Sydney route topped the nation at 8.1 per cent – far higher than the national long-term cancellation rate of 1.4 per cent.
The trend continued in October with Qantas Link cancelling 42 flights (12.5 per cent) from Canberra to Sydney for the month, affecting up to 6000 people travelling on the route.
“Air travel is about travelling fast, and getting to a destination on time,” Mr Byron said.
“There are business people trying to get to meetings. There are people trying to attend family functions, weddings, funerals, sporting events and concerts. And they all need to get there on time. They do not need to have their flight cancelled.”
Mr Byron says airlines are not accountable for poor performance.
“There does need to be a national standard, at which the Federal government, as both the regulator of the aviation industry and as the protector of consumers steps in,” he said.
“In my view a monthly cancellation rate of more than five per cent warrants intervention by the Federal government, and a demand for both an explanation and an improvement.”
October 2017 cancellations for individual routes
Scheduled |
Flown |
Cancellations No % |
|
Canberra – Sydney |
|||
Qantas |
8 |
7 |
1 12.5 |
Qantas Link |
475 |
433 |
42 8.8 |
Virgin Australia |
248 |
243 |
5 2 |
All Airlines |
731 |
683 |
48 6.6 |
Sydney – Canberra |
|||
Qantas |
9 |
7 |
2 22.2 |
Qantas Link |
469 |
433 |
36 7.7 |
Virgin Australia |
248 |
243 |
5 2 |
All Airlines |
726 |
683 |
43 5.9 |
Brisbane – Canberra |
|||
Qantas |
28 |
28 |
0 0 |
Qantas Link |
125 |
111 |
14 11.2 |
Tigerair Australia |
14 |
14 |
0 0 |
Virgin Australia |
102 |
102 |
0 0 |
All Airlines |
269 |
255 |
14 5.2 |
Canberra – Brisbane |
|||
Qantas |
28 |
28 |
0 0 |
Qantas Link |
125 |
111 |
14 11.2 |
Tigerair Australia |
14 |
14 |
0 0 |
Virgin Australia |
103 |
103 |
0 0 |
All Airlines |
270 |
256 |
14 5.2 |
Canberra-Melbourne |
|||
Qantas |
208 |
207 |
1 0.5 |
Qantas Link |
98 |
85 |
13 13.3 |
Tigerair Australia |
36 |
36 |
0 0 |
Virgin Australia |
176 |
173 |
3 1.7 |
All Airlines |
518 |
501 |
17 3.3 |
Melbourne – Canberra |
|||
Qantas |
208 |
207 |
1 0.5 |
Qantas Link |
99 |
86 |
13 13.1 |
Tigerair Australia |
36 |
36 |
0 0 |
Virgin Australia |
177 |
173 |
4 2.3 |
All Airlines |
520 |
502 |
18 3.5 |
Source: Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (BITRE)
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