Queensland Airports Limited, the owner and operator of Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports, has extended its agreement with independent airline Regional Express (Rex) to help keep airfare costs lower for regional Queenslanders.

The accomplished airport operator agreed to continue its support of the Rex community fare scheme following completion of its six-month trial at the end of January.

As part of the scheme, Rex community fare passengers travelling through Mount Isa and Longreach airports received a discount in airport charges as part of their community fare. This also benefited passengers travelling to and from these ports to Townsville.

Kevin Gill, Chief Operating Officer at Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports, said Queensland Airports Limited (QAL) was pleased to do what it could to support efforts by its airline partners to reduce the cost of air travel for regional Queenslanders.

“While we know airport charges only make up a small percentage of each airfare, we’re doing what we can to reduce those costs for locals,” he said.

“We applaud Rex for its efforts to discount fares for regional Queenslanders and have supported the airline in this way since the introduction of its first community fares between Mount Isa and Cairns two years ago.

“More affordable fares are a positive for locals and tourism operators.”

QAL has agreed to continue its support of the Rex community fare scheme until 31 December 2020.

Steve Jones, Rex Queensland State Manager, welcomed the continued support from QAL and said partnering with airports was an essential ingredient of the Rex community fare scheme.

“The extension of the scheme throughout regional and remote Queensland is a testament to Rex’s ongoing support of regional communities,” he said.

“Partnering with QAL and other airport owners and local councils has enabled the community fare scheme to grow to more than 40 regional communities throughout Australia, with more than half of these in remote and outback Queensland.”  

Rex’s affordable fare scheme is now available to 23 Queensland communities.

QAL continues to support resident fares offered by the Qantas group on flights out of Mount Isa and Longreach airports, including residents of Boulia, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Blackall and Barcaldine.

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