WA premier lashes ‘opportunistic’ Qantas after Busselton to Sydney flights scrapped
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has labeled Qantas “opportunistic” and criticized subsidiary Jetstar’s decision to cancel the Sydney-Busselton route due to sky-high fuel prices.
Jetstar announced on Tuesday that it would suspend the route, which opened in 2024, until September due to rising fuel costs.
The decision comes as Qantas updates the market on the skyrocketing price of jet fuel resulting from the Iran war – between $600 million and $800 million in the first half of the year – which will lead to a 5 per cent cut in domestic flying capacity.
The Sydney to Busselton route, which operates three times a week, is the only route to be completely suspended across Qantas and Jetstar’s entire schedule.
It has been recognized by WA tourism operators as successful in directing east coast visitors directly to the South West, and is also used by workers flying to and from the east to enter and exit WA.
Cook said he was disappointed and surprised by the decision, given that the airline had been constantly “raising” prices.
“My understanding is that Qantas said they made this decision based on fuel supply,” he said.
“This is the same airline that is more than happy to increase prices when it suits them, regardless of fuel supply, so I’m not quite sure why they would make this decision, which I find quite odd.
“Obviously there is plenty of fuel coming into the country.
“The issue is affordability, so Qantas cutting these flights seems like a bit of an opportunistic decision.
“Now is the time for us all to work together, support our tourism industry, and not move away from them.”
A Qantas Group spokesman said there was not enough demand to support the service but was adamant the service would continue in September.
“Unfortunately, with fuel prices at these levels, there is not enough demand to support our Busselton-Sydney service and we have had to make the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the service,” he said.
“We know this is frustrating for customers and we look forward to relaunching the service later this year.
“Affected customers will be contacted directly and re-booked for existing services via alternative domestic cities or offered the option of a refund if they no longer wish to travel.
“The group continues to closely monitor the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and may make further adjustments to capacity and fares over time.”
WA Liberal deputy leader Libby Mettam, the member for Vasse whose electorate covers the Busselton area, implored the Cook government to step in and support the flights.
“This is a big blow to the region. Our tourism operators and small businesses are already struggling to make ends meet and the fuel crisis as we head into winter,” he said.
“Three lucrative Sydney flights a week create significant value for the region and this is a significant coup for tourism operators.
“The Cook Labor government must do everything it can to ensure these flights resume as soon as possible and provide valuable support to the region.”
Qantas’ charter operations to WA’s mining industry have been excluded from domestic flight capacity cuts.
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political correspondent and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Award for best political journalism.Connect with: X or email.
