Regional Express changes welcomed, Council calls for third weekly flight to St George

A return of Sunday flights to St George aerodome has been welcomed by Balonne Shire Council, following a change to Regional Express’ Western 1 route for the new year.

The REX Western 1 route, which connects St George to Brisbane, was subject to a schedule change during the height of COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and flights were rescheduled to arrive on Wednesday and Friday.

Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole said the return of Sunday flights is expected to offer convenience for local workers once again.

“The Sunday flight to St George was perfect for many workers who did travel in and out of our region regularly; they were able to arrive at a convenient time and start their working week the following day,” she said.

“I expect it will be helpful for a lot of local industries to have their staff return from Brisbane on a Sunday, whether they employ fly-in-fly-out workers, or locals who have travelled away for medical appointments or a short break.”

However, last year’s Friday flight also proved to be popular among local travellers and Mayor O’Toole said Council would like a third REX flight added to the Western 1 schedule.

“I have personally heard overwhelmingly positive feeback from residents about the Friday flight which was running during 2020,” she said.

“It was well-timed to allow residents to fly out at the end of their working week, and I have been advised that the Friday flight had significant patronage from across the Western 1 route.

“Having three flights a week is the ultimate goal for Council, and we will continue to lobby on behalf of our community for that level of service to the Balonne Shire.”

For up-to-date information on Regional Express flights, visit the REX website.