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Volume 20, Thursday 23rd November, 2006
Flight services under review
By Les Rochester BHP Billiton is surveying the commercial airline market for the provision of services in and out of Roxby Downs. Company spokesperson Mr.Richard Yeeles said the company has had a number of expressions of interest from commercial airlines wanting to provide services to Olympic Dam. “We regularly review services to see what the level of interest is in the market place for the provision of air services for the company and the community’s benefit,” he said. The Managing Director of REX Airlines Mr. Geoff Breust said his company would be putting in a submission to BHP Billiton.
Above: More competition in the marketplace for REX is a possibility. “We have a good relationship with the company and the town and have just recently upgraded the fleet to SAAB turbo prop aircraft, and we expect that relationship to continue. “We’re in a position to announce new services to Roxby Downs starting in February next year. “They’ll be on the off peak days of Saturday and Sunday with prices remaining static but the full schedule of services will be announced next year, “ Mr. Breust said. He defended the company’s prices out of Olympic Dam and Adelaide by saying it relates to distance. “The shorter the distance, the cheaper the fare,” he said.
A comparison of air-fares between Olympic Dam, Coober Pedy and Ceduna by the “Monitor” during the week of Nov 20th – 26th this year shows some disparity and appears to conflict with his statement. On November the 21st a seat to Olympic Dam from Adelaide cost $353 whilst it only cost $129 to fly from OD to Adelaide on the lunchtime flights. The distance is 521 kilometres one way. On the same day to fly either way to or from Coober Pedy cost only $182. The distance is 761 kilometres one way, 240 kilometres further than Olympic Dam. And from Ceduna on that day, Nov
21st, it cost $155 to fly either way. The distance is 529 kilometres, still 8 kilometres further than Olympic Dam. According to Mr. Breust from REX it’s about making the sectors financially viable in order to continue to service the routes. “It is still cheaper to fly out of Olympic Dam during the off peak times than most other country centres,” he said. Mr. Breust denied any suggestion that the general public of Roxby Downs was subsidising the service. “We have a commercial arrangement with the mining companies, which as you can appreciate is commercial in
confidence, but at the end of the day the average fare we get from those companies is the same the public pays,” he said. “We’re not ripping the people off, as a matter of fact, we have a duty to the people of Roxby Downs to provide them with a top quality airline operating an efficient service. “That’s why we’re increasing capacity next year, and have just signed a contract for another 25 latest upgraded SAAB turbo prop aircraft with one being delivered every six weeks. “They no doubt will be included on the Olympic Dam run, making the flight more comfortable and efficient,” Mr. Breust said.