New route: Qantas launches Mildura - Sydney (and increases Bendigo)

[pauly7]

• New Mildura to Sydney route to begin 29 March 2020
• Introduction of three more weekly flights between Bendigo and Sydney
• These routes estimated to boost spending in regional Victoria by more than $3 million each year
• Sale fares for Mildura-Sydney available from $179 one-way

QantasLink will launch flights between Mildura and Sydney, and increase the number of services to Bendigo, helping boost tourism to regional Victoria.

From 29 March 2020, QantasLink will operate flights four days per week between Sydney and Mildura with its 74-seat Q400 turboprop aircraft, offering more than 30,000 seats each year.

The new service will be the only direct connection between Sydney and Mildura, saving travellers around two hours compared to flying via Melbourne.

The launch of the new route follows the success of QantasLink’s Bendigo to Sydney route which took off in April of this year. In response to high demand on the route, QantasLink is adding three new weekly return services from 30 March 2020, bringing the total number of return flights to 10 per week.

Regional Victoria winner as qantaslink launches more flights

New Mildura to Sydney route to begin 29 March 2020 Introduction of three more weekly flights between Bendigo and SydneyThese routes estimated to boost

www.miragenews.com

 

[serfty]

I have seen suggestion that the Qantas Group now have a few Turboprop aircraft to play with since the ending of the NZ domestic services.

 

[docjames]

Mildura historically had stronger ties to Melbourne and Adelaide due to geography (distance).

Will be interesting if this works - will need to be a fair mix of tourism to Mildura, business in SYD, and onward travel though the hub departing ex-Mildura.

Is it really large enough to support this? As serfty says, they probably now have a few aircraft surplus and can try a few things. Start date a couple of weeks in advance of Easter.

 

[Hvr]

Will be interesting if this works -

I really hope it does. While I can't ever see myself travelling on this route it is good to see Qantas and their subsidiaries being innovative and looking for new routes.

 

[BAM1748]

If you live in Mildura and want to visit a capital city, I’m sure many would be happy to pay extra for Sydney. Opens up their travel opportunities immensely.

 

[N860CR]

I noticed the Jetstar 300's sitting at Brisbane yesterday. I assume they'll be repainted and put back into QF service.

For some reason I thought Rex flew SYD-MQL? I guess not.

 

[juddles]

I think this reveals great forward planning and insight of QF's part - they know that soon Mildura will be more important than Perth

 

[bosox76]

For some reason I thought Rex flew SYD-MQL? I guess not.

Rex does MEL-MQL return and ADL-MQL-Broken Hill as a loop
I do work in mildura fortnightly and agree with others that traditionally ADL wouldve been a more useful service. Perhaps that's my health service bias given how many patients have to travel to either MEL or ADL for treatment.

However more travel options are always a good thing. It does open up more connection options for those based in MQL though.

 

[dajop]

I noticed the Jetstar 300's sitting at Brisbane yesterday. I assume they'll be repainted and put back into QF service.

For some reason I thought Rex flew SYD-MQL? I guess not.

Rex flew SYD-MQL for a while via GFF (years ago I took the GFF-MQL service) and then discontinued and then for quite few years operated non-stop to/from SYD. They discontinued on 27 Oct 2018, probably because the route was marginal, but an increase in fees at MQL pushed them across the line ....

http://www.rex.com.au/BlobViewer/BlobViewer.aspx?attachtype=MR&filename=496D7061482B626E6D7267475968706846427367375262496F325078797169755837493946444B514A77582F50464B597A665050482B42584A5A337177575274

 

[Jaded_Elf]

I noticed the Jetstar 300's sitting at Brisbane yesterday. I assume they'll be repainted and put back into QF service.

For some reason I thought Rex flew SYD-MQL? I guess not.

I think at least one already has, unless flight tracker wasn't correct on Friday afternoon (which may be the case).

 

[dylarr]

I think at least one already has, unless flight tracker wasn't correct on Friday afternoon (which may be the case).

Yep, VH-TQK.

I flew on it from Sydney - Bendigo last Thursday.

Nice and shiny from its fresh new paint job. Interior and seats are still the old Qantaslink interior prior to the refurb that all the Q300's got last year(?) however. The only thing in the interior that looks different from the Jetstar stint is the orange seat number strips on the overhead lockers have been replaced with the grey Qantas one, and the crisp new safety cards.