Picture: SANDRA MORELLO
A MOUNT Gambier independent business advocacy group and Grant District Council have welcomed news the Regional Express community fare is now available for bookings.
This cut-price one-way ticket is available 30 days from departure or the day before and will apply to 25pc of seats on Regional Express aircraft travelling on the two Mount Gambier routes.
Described as a historic deal between the regional airline giant and council, it is hoped the new fare deal will drive up passenger numbers at the Mount Gambier Airport.
Council – which owns and operates the Mount Gambier Airport – announced this week the community fare was now available online for air passengers.
Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce president Lynette Martin OAM urged the community and the business sector to tap into the new low airfare.
Whether it was a scheduled business trip or making last minute plans to attend sporting finals or events, Ms Martin urged people to grab one of the $129 one-way fares.
The business leader said the chamber was a strong supporter of the new airfare partnership, which had delivered the lowest airfares to the city for many years.
The chamber and Grant District Council have met to canvass avenues to promote this new fare to the community and business fraternity.
“The board of the chamber believes this agreement provides a great incentive for more business people and residents to travel with Rex,” Ms Martin said.
She hoped this partnership would see an upswing in visitors coming to the region.
Grant District Council chief executive officer David Singe said council was tasked with promoting the new community fare, which was a condition of the partnership agreement.
He revealed the region’s business sector had already responded positively to the new Rex fare schedule.
“The City of Albany and Shire of Esperance have both advised the lower airfares had a measurable improvement for business travel,” Mr Singe said.
He said Mount Gambier and Albany were similar distances from capital cities and flying was a cost-efficient option to a nine to 10 hour return drive.
“The chamber and council will work closely with the City of Mount Gambier, in particular and with other councils and communities throughout the Limestone Coast to promote this ground-breaking partnership,” the civic leader said.
Mr Singe said he was also buoyed by the fact Rex had indicated it would restore services – that were cut on the Mount Gambier route – when the pilot shortage eased.
The agreement – known as the “Rex community fare” – will run until June 30, 2023 and is expected to fuel an increase in passenger numbers at the airport, which had seen sluggish passenger growth.
Described as a “game-changer” for airline travel, the announcement comes as the council prepares to begin a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Mount Gambier Airport.
This upgrade will see an expansion and refurbishment of the terminal, along with improvements to the runway and associated infrastructure.
