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Qantas will increase its services at Whyalla Airport just weeks after Rex Airlines announced it would cut services to the regional South Australian city.
Key points:
- Qantas will add eight extra flight services weekly to its Adelaide to Whyalla route
- It comes after Rex Airlines announced it would cancel its service on the route
- The local mayor says the door is always open to Rex, along with other airlines
Whyalla City Council announced Qantas would be adding additional flights to and from the upper Spencer Gulf destination on Monday morning, Thursday evening, Friday evening and Saturday morning from July 1.
Rex Airlines announced on May 18 it would be ending flights between Whyalla and Adelaide from July 1, and accused the council of being "devious" by adding a security screening cost to be paid by the airline.
The $35 or $40 charge per passenger fee for security screening "rendered the route unviable", according to Rex.
The security screening charge was formerly paid for by the federal government, but from July it will be up to the airline to pay it.
Whyalla City Council Mayor Phill Stone said he was pleased Qantas would fill the gap left by Rex Airlines in the town.
"It's certainly very good news," he said.
"I know the community were very concerned about less flights, and what would happen in the future.
"While that's good news, I must say, our door is always open if Rex would like to re-engage. We certainly don't want to shut that door."
He said the council never went out of its way to upset Rex or to be "unfair".
"We're just looking at a level playing field," Mr Stone said.
More passengers expected
Mr Stone said he would continue dialogue with the federal government on developing the airport, with Whyalla to see an increase in traffic due to a $2 billion hydrogen precinct development.
"Coupled with the influx of workers to cater for GFG Alliance's green steel and magnetite expansion plans, this presents a truly unique opportunity for airline operators to be involved in the biggest industrial and economic boom in Whyalla since the 1960s," he said.
He said other airlines were also welcome.
"I do believe there are other interstate carriers that might be looked at to see whether they're interested in South Australia, but also we still haven't given up on the federal government," Mr Stone said.
"We're continuing our lobbying and advocacy to give us a fair and just system by putting that cost over nationally and not just throwing regional airports into the mix [to cover security screening costs]."