Warrego MP Ann Leahy is calling on the state Department of Transport to be part of the solution to the need to service air passenger demand out of Roma's airport.
She was responding to the department's statement that it would support a request for Rex Airlines to be allowed to substitute its current aircraft with a larger Q400 plane on its Roma-Brisbane route, if security screening could be installed without tickets costing more.
Maranoa Regional councillors last week resolved to urge the government, through the Department of Transport, to urgently support a pilot for Q400 flights into the Roma Airport three times a week, as part of the Central One regulated passenger transport contract.
Mayor Tyson Golder said the problem of a lack of seat availability on the busiest days had been going on for 12 months, and that his council had been advocating, along with the Murweh Shire and Rex Airlines, to TMR for additional flights and capacity since early 2023.
The South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils has also been advocating for increased capacity on both Central One and Western One routes for a similar amount of time.
A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson advised that the department was supportive of a proposal to replace three Saab340B+ services on the Central One route with the Q400 aircraft, which would allow the Saab340B+ aircraft to be redeployed.
"This proposal follows a significant global pilot shortage and supply chain issues, which has impacted Rex's ability to increase Saab340B+ services across the network," they said.
"TMR is supportive of the Q400 proposal, noting the proposal requires additional security screening at regional airports.
"Regional airport operations at Roma is the responsibility of the local council."
The spokesperson said both Rex and the SWROC had been advised that a solution to the costing of security screening at Roma and Charleville will need be confirmed before Rex's Q400 proposal can be approved.
They said the solution, between Rex, the Maranoa Regional Council and the Murweh Shire Council had to include the costings of all security arrangements and how they will be absorbed without pushing them onto ticket prices.
It also needed confirmation from Rex that the Saab340B+ could be redeployed with available pilots.
Warrego MP Ann Leahy said that under federal aviation regulations, the airport at Roma was in the same category as Mackay's airport, which had a passenger throughput of 800,000 in 2022.
By comparison, Roma catered to 47,000 passengers in the same timeframe.
Longreach, which handles Q400 planes without security, had 38,000 passengers in 2022.
"Roma is one of the smallest trafficked airports in tier 1, in the federal data collected," Ms Leahy said.
"I think there is a solution to this, that doesn't incur extra cost, and that's if TMR talks to its federal counterpart to ask that Roma be changed in category.
"Roma jumped up a category when the gas industry was really pumping - in 2014 it had 239,000 passengers.
"So there is a solution, TMR just needs to action it."
Allowing a Q400 to land at Roma with security screening in place would mean all passengers using the airport, those on the Saab340B+ as well, would have to be screened, likely adding to ticket costs for all.
Ms Leahy said that wasn't desirable, adding that Charleville had a dispensation from screening, as did Longreach.
Murweh's acting CEO Bruce Scott confirmed that Charleville's airport had a screening exemption through the Department of Home Affairs.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
