Bundaberg Regional Council and Bundaberg Tourism are advocating for fairer regional airfares, with the community invited to add their input to the joint submission.
The Australian Government Productivity Commission is conducting an inquiry into how regional airfares are determined and aims to consider how to support a better passenger flight network outside of Australia’s major cities.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Helen Blackburn said improving transport connections to the region was a high priority for Council as part of its broader Bundaberg Region Economic Development Strategy.
“The impacts of airfare pricing, frequency and service reliability are felt across multiple aspects of the region’s community and economy,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“It affects our capacity to attract skilled workers, investment and industry to our region.
“It also places restrictions on our residents and the established businesses already here.
“In addition to providing a submission to the inquiry, Council will continue to advocate directly for increased routes to and from the region, more carriers and competitive fares for our community and visitors.”
Mayor Blackburn said the combined submission with Bundaberg Tourism would provide the inquiry with firsthand experiences specific to the broader Bundaberg and North Burnett regions.
“The submission will provide the inquiry with real world examples that represent the interests of our region,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“We want to emphasise the importance of an improved regional flight network and help shape any recommendations to come out of the inquiry in a way that will benefit everyone.”
Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid said access to affordable and reliable air services is a foundational issue for the region’s visitor economy and broader productivity.
“Air connectivity underpins tourism growth, workforce mobility and business confidence,” Katherine said.
“When flights are expensive, infrequent or unreliable, the impacts are felt well beyond tourism – affecting our ability to attract skilled workers, host business events and support regional investment.
“This joint submission is a strong example of Council, industry and community working together to provide real-world, evidence-based insights.
“We encourage businesses and residents across the Bundaberg Region to take a few minutes to share their experience through the survey and help shape practical outcomes from this national inquiry.”
Community survey
Community members can contribute their feedback to the joint regional submission by completing Bundaberg Tourism’s survey here.
The survey is open to individuals and businesses.
The survey will be open until 27 February.
Submissions can also be made directly to the inquiry on the Productivity Commission website, with responses due by Sunday 15 March 2026.
Nothing new, all talk no positive outcomes
Yes please, cheaper airfares. We saved $1000 by flying Hervey Bay to Melbourne with free 7 day parking. Seems strange it can’t be done from here
There are no reasonable flights from Bundy to northern like Mackay. Only option is expensive to Brisbane then up to Mackay
Fares to Brisbane should be only $200 return..it’s only a short trip…..and yes more planes to come in and out..
Presently a return flight from Brisbane to Vietnam is about $350. How much for a return from Brisbane to Bundaberg?
How come Europe can offer frequent flights and in expensive.
Best way to get cheaper airfares is to make Bundy region more of a tourist destination. When Hobart was getting $99 fares from the Gold Coast, it was because the local hotels, tourist operators and council all worked together to make it a tourist destination. Bundy has a fantastic food scene, so and nature beauty galore. What we need is a high profile festival or two to get the ball rolling.
With the high priced flights from Bundaberg it doesn’t appear it’s really for the community as a whole. Cheaper to fly from Hervey Bay
When virgin came here flts to brisbane were 99.00 qantas is just ripping us off, lower fares mean more tourists and more jobs ccc should onvestogate
Compared to a lot of domestic airfares in Australia, the trip to Bundy is ridiculously high for the small amount of time in the air.
Family out of area cannot justify the flights. Multiply that for a family of 4 return and they can have an awesome holiday elsewhere. We miss out all the time but can’t blame them.
Please start talking about actually getting results of a significant reduction with these carriers. Our hands are tied
We voted for you so it would be nice to see actual results.
We are 1 of only a handful of regional centers that got a trades training center at our TAFE we should use that to incentivize travel to our region to train. If we have a greater demand from our airport ensuring flights travel with decent numbers onboard.
I lived in Cairns for about 7 years and their Airport had planes taking off and landing every 15min . We get 2 a day here if were are lucky. Kick Qantas out they only care about their monopoly not servicing the region. They had their chance all they do is keep our access to air travel expensive and out of reach.
same old same old – real world change in this space is required but this has been a conversation that has popped up over and over again without any real change in fact the services provided at the airport have decreased.
Unfortunately the people of Bundaberg are there own worst enemy. Three carriers have come to Bundaberg in the last 10 years offering cheaper flights. Qantas then price match and you all choose to fly Qantas leaving the new carriers high and dry. Why would any carrier come to Bundaberg knowing they won’t get local support. That’s the reality of where we are at.
I always leave from Harvey Bay airport to Sydney because the fares are cheaper and virgin fly straight through to syd airport
Bundaberg council runs the airport, and are responsible for the lack of competition from this airport
They must attract other airlines here, and ensure competitive pricing to sustain them, together with more flights per day
It is ridiculous paying $250 one way to Brisbane !!!!! And only twice a day !!!
Also Qantas monopolises the routes as they always have around regional areas, to make it uncompetitive to other carriers
Cmon mayor, get off your butt and fix this issue
People wont fly here, if they are cornered by the only airline in the region
We definitely need cheaper airfares. Pensioners do not have large amounts of disposable funds, to pay for such expensive plane tickets.
$1,100 one way on the cheapest airfare level from Bundaberg to Port Hedland i had to pay for my daughter!!
A return is $2200!!!. Cheaper to fly Brisbane to London Return!!
With that level 5 hospital & surrounding health prescient being built it could service a larger area then just Bundaberg preventing the need for many to fly all the way to Brisbane. Then it would be more a case of getting other Cities without level 5 hospitals to fly to & from Bundaberg to share our facility.
Particularly interesting would be Hervey Bay as they are unlikely to receive a level 5 hospital for quite sometime. This would allow us to travel to there airports as a stop gap opening up easier air fairs for connection.
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I also belive upgrading the airport to accept larger planes would help significantly. 4D standard should be the next upgrade.
Some money spent on Tourism advertisement might prove fruitful boosting our regions reach we should have significantly more tourism demand then what we do.
I suggest what we need is for Virgin/Bain to buy up the left overs of small regional operators & bring them in under there own answer to Jetstar. Even Virgin on it’s own has failed to be profitable enough in the market. We don’t need a tiny regional carrier that can’t stay afloat what we need is an alternative to Qantas.
“Pensioners do not have large amounts of disposable funds”
Pensioners are suppose to own there own home & have hundreds of thousands saved in there retirement funds. Even if you don’t have enough to be fully self funded you should have quite a substantial nest egg from working.
I propose the use of Hervey Bay as a dual stop.
Airplane takes of in Bundaberg with some passengers
Airplane stops in Hervey Bay to drop off & pick up passengers
Air plane presides to Brisbane
Airplane takes of in Brisbane with passengers
Airplane stops in Hervey Bay to drop off & pick up passengers
Airplane presides to Bundaberg to drop off passengers
Airplane is more full on each trip in theory reducing costs if costs are spit between ticket holders.
Also enables flying between Bundaberg & Hervey Bay a win for Tourism of both Cities.
I recently booked a holiday which from every other city had the air fares included, not from Bundaberg though, Qantas has the monopoly, and in twenty-five years living here nothing has changed unfortunately. It is a disgrace, particularly for older people like myself who would not drive to Hervey Bay to fly other places. If I want to travel north to see my family I have to take the train which is expensive as well if you take a pod.
Come on Bundy losing so much to Hervey Bay. Its pitiful. Loved it when we had Bonza briefly.
Yes bring on more competition/airlines someone needs to take people out of the cemetery and back to the land of the living
Fly to Melbourne and Cairns regularly costs more to fly to Cairns because I have to fly to Brisbane then fly back again on way to Cairns. STUPID.
Ring back the milk run, Brisbane, Bundaberg
, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, and back would make more sense than these towns having to fly south to Brisbane to travel north, and bring down the price, recently travelled to Perth WA, and 2 return flights from Bundaberg to Brisbane was higher than 2 return flights Brisbane to Perth, decided to drive to Brisbane park at the valet airport parking for 5 days, and stay overnight at the Ibis Airport and even that was cheaper than 2 return flights from Bundaberg to Brisbane
It is sad that people are using Hervey Bay instead of our local airport due to the high pricing. 😞
We would love more flights going out of Bundaberg, we are moving up from the Gold Coast & are used to having choice of flights, because we fly overseas, Sydney & Melbourne
Direct flights Bundaberg to Melbourne again Please
Bundaberg to Brisbane is around $40 cheaper then Hervey Bay to Brisbane if Traveling one way.
Brisbane to Bundaberg is only $6 more expensive then Brisbane to Hervey Bay.
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Return is around $20 cheaper if using Hervey Bay airport but this would still make booking separate even cheaper.
If you booked separate instead of return you would save a small amount more if you used Bundaberg airport. For some reason if we choose return it is hiding the cheapest fairs for both Bundaberg & Hervey Bay.
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Another option could be to use a Coach(Bus) service or Train at least 1 way this would save a significant amount more. Coaches are really comfortable trains are okish…
Almost $700 for Sydney to Bundaberg return, such a joke. Always pick Hervey bay.
High airfares have long been a significant barrier for both local residents and potential visitors to the Bundaberg region. It’s heartening to see the Council taking a proactive stand and advocating for more competitive pricing. Fairer airfares are not just about convenience; they are essential for boosting our local tourism, supporting business growth, and keeping our community connected. Great initiative!