Airline cuts hurt Albany businesses

Regional businesses are being put under pressure by not having consistent and sensibly priced airline travel to and from Albany, claims former Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Graham Harvey.

His criticism comes after Virgin Airlines announced late last year it was cutting flights between Perth and Albany.

Mr Harvey said the result was a service that was detrimental to local businesspeople who regularly needed to attend client appointments in Perth.

Added to that was the missed opportunity to help develop the tourism industry after the success of the Albany Anzac weekend last November.

“I know dozens of Albany companies who would use the service to Perth, especially if there was a 7am flight,” Mr Harvey said.

“On the other hand, Virgin says there is no demand. It hasn’t had any engagement with local businesses or members of the tourist industry. We are just being treated as fools.”

Mr Harvey said travel constraints had forced him to leave the city after eight years. He is relocating closer to Perth because of the long distance he has to drive.

He said clocking up 60,000km in the past year to carry on his work business coaching, consulting and public speaking had taken its toll.

“I’d love to fly but the planes are at the wrong time of the day and are too expensive,” he said.

Mr Harvey said the State Government missed the perfect opportunity to deregulate the single-airline “monopoly” to Albany when other routes, such as those to Geraldton and Kalgoorlie, were opened to competition.

“When the current air service agreement for the services to Albany was signed (with Skywest), that was the exact same time that other routes were deregulated,” he said.

Mr Harvey criticised former Transport Minister Simon O’Brien for the handing the Albany licence to Skywest, despite Qantas being interested in competing for the route.

Mr Harvey said opening the Perth to Albany route to competition would make sense given the success of flights to Mildura in Victoria, which is a similar size town and end-of-the-line route to Albany.

“It is serviced by three airlines with several flights a day,” Mr Harvey said. “Just as importantly, you can fly for $119 one-way.”

Mr O’Brien last held the position of Transport Minister in 2010 and oversaw the State’s airline policy review, which was then taken over by Troy Buswell, who has since quit politics.

While well away from decision-making now, Mr O’Brien said it was essential air services remained viable for key regional centres such as Albany and, unless a route was regulated, services at a certain level could not be guaranteed.

“My efforts as minister were all about making sure Albany had a suitable air service,” he said.

“What the Albany business community needs is to enhance the demand, to encourage more people to use the service.”

Mr Buswell was contacted for comment but was unavailable.

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