Route cutbacks coming.
No great surprise.
VA may not have been a major player on these routes - for instance I travelled about three or four years ago from MQL to MEL on its B738 that was about half full if that, and had a 'non-business friendly' middle of the day departure time, its sole flight (so no opportunities for same day returns) - so whether it kept fares below a level at which they'd otherwise have been is an interesting question.
SYD-AYQ has almost certainly always had hire fares. Now it'll be a monopoly for the QF Group. We know what economics says about that. Some minor glee from Mr Joyce no doubt (although at present he has his hands full with huge losses overall every day, and no sign of that improving).
One of our aviators may have to pay more from Albury to Sydney if he wants to fly. "Competition" between QF and ZL is to me not price-based as ZL's fares are rarely cheap and its aircraft smaller and older, so what's the incentive for QF to cut its fares?
But I bet QFd/JQd/ZL will be pleased, although tourism bodies and operators won't be in places like Port Macquarie and Mildura, even though one can drive or go by train then railway road coach to both (NSWTrainLink to Wauchope on the XPT train; V/Line to Swan Hill on locomotive hauled passenger trains - coaches for remaining sections).
(from 'The Australian' online less than an hour ago):
'...Among the changes brought about by the shift to an all Boeing 737 aircraft fleet, is the withdrawal from seven destinations and eight routes “for the foreseeable future”.
These include Ayers Rock, Albury, Tamworth, Hervey Bay, Port Macquarie, Mildura and Cloncurry.
The affected routes are Sydney-Ayers Rock, Sydney-Albury, Sydney-Tamworth, Sydney-Hervey Bay, Sydney-Port Macquarie, Melbourne-Mildura and Brisbane-Cloncurry and Mount Isa to Cloncurry.
The carrier will also cease flights to Tonga when international services resume.
Brisbane-Port Macquarie which is currently on hold, would continue to be operated by Alliance under
Virgin Australia’s flight code...'