WA regional air travel fare cap changes anger residents
Karratha resident Kim Simpson helped organise a petition against flight cap increases. (ABC Pilbara: Mietta Adams)
In short:
WA's capped price airfares for regional residents will stay the same in low-demand periods, but in high-demand periods, the price will increase for regional flights to and from Perth.
Affected residents say this will further isolate them and render a lot of travel unaffordable.
What's next?
Premier Roger Cook says the scheme will continue until June 2031.
Regional West Australians say the government's increased airfare caps during peak flight periods will unfairly isolate them.
The state government introduced a scheme in 2022 that capped fares for one-way trips to Perth within 1,000 kilometres at $199, and $299 for flights longer than that distance.
Prior to the scheme, regional residents — particularly in the Pilbara and Kimberley — would often pay more than $1,000 for one-way trips to Perth.
But from July 1 next year, the capped fares will increase during "high-demand" periods, and remain the same for "low-demand" periods.
During high-demand periods, one-way flights to airports less than 1,000 kilometres from Perth will be capped at $265, while those further away will increase to $385.
Families 'locked out'
The $385 cost per flight during peak periods will affect those in WA's northern regional towns, including Karratha, Broome, Exmouth, Kununurra, Newman, Paraburdoo and Port Hedland.
Karratha mother of three Kirsty Freeman said busy periods such as school holidays were the only time her family could visit her Adelaide-based family and friends.
Kirsty and Karl Freeman have children who have appointments in Perth. (ABC Pilbara: Mietta Adams)
The raised peak-period cap will see her family pay an extra $860 to fly to and from Perth, with a total cost of $3,850.
"My friends and family can't afford to come and visit us up here," Ms Freeman said.
'We're basically isolated in this town."
She said the changes meant her family would now drive 16 hours to the city to catch a flight to Adelaide.
"It's really scary for us financially," Ms Freeman said.
She said her teenage children needed braces, which could only be fitted and removed in Perth.
A rally opposing increases to subsidised regional airfares was held in Karratha last month. (ABC Pilbara: Mietta Adams)
WA's Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) subsidises the costs of accessing medical services that are not available locally, but allied health and dental treatments are not included in the scheme.
"Just having the procedure is expensive, but then adding on flights and accommodation to get those things done as well is a little bit daunting," Ms Freeman said.
"People think because we're in a mining town that we're all just made of money, and that's definitely not how it is."
Jo Camilleri says families with children at boarding schools will be affected. (Supplied)
Concerns for boarders
Kimberley parent and Isolated Children's Parents' Association member Jo Camilleri said the changes were "worrying", especially for students who were studying away from home.
"It's during the peak season we need the cap more," she said.
"It's during school holidays that kids are flying home and that's why we really needed it in the first place.
"If anything, you'd hope the cap was in place for [busy periods] rather than the reverse."
Ms Camilleri was concerned the price changes would most affect families living in remote towns like Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, who also have to travel long distances just to get to an airport.
"It just gets further and further out of reach for families … the more remote people get, the more difficult this becomes," she said.
Kim Simpson says the cap increase is "garbage". (ABC Pilbara: Mietta Adams)
Kim Simpson organised a petition against increased subsidised fare caps and has so far collected more than 6,000 signatures.
She described the changes as "garbage".
She said while it was "fantastic" the cap was kept, the subsidised flights were already too expensive.
"I've flown to Perth three times in the past month and I've spent close to $3,000," she said.
"We are still going to keep on with the petition … we can still fight for these cheaper fares," she said.
High-demand period remains vague
Premier Roger Cook said the cap increase was necessary to keep the scheme sustainable and to meet the difference between airline prices in peak periods.
Roger Cook says the government and airlines will decide what is considered a "peak period". (ABC Pilbara: Kimberley Putland)
"We want to reward those people who are looking to travel in times of low demand," he said.
"But for last-minute bookings or for high peak demands, the subsidy isn't as high."
"This is better than pre-2022, when they [regional families] would have paid literally thousands."
Deciding what is considered "peak period" will be an arrangement between the government and the airlines, he said.
'We will work closely with airlines to ensure that they bring the right approach, the right attitude to this," Mr Cook said.
The state government said that for the first time, airlines could choose to offer capped fares that were cheaper than the set maximums.
Mr Cook said the scheme would continue until June 2031 before it would be reviewed again.