REX planes cannot carry coffins – adding another hurdle in its expansion of services to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
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State member for Mount Isa Rob Katter said Regional Express Airline’s lighter planes were not accredited to carry deceased people, which presented a problem to remote communities, which could be flooded in.
Mr Katter heard that one deceased person had to be driven from Normanton to Mount Isa as an alternative.
Rex received a state government contract over collapsed airline Skytrans on a competitive tender process, meaning it received subsidies for the remote flights.
Mr Katter said this should prevent the service’s airfares from increasing.
A Rex spokeswoman said the company was looking at the issue, and acknowledged she discussed it with Mr Katter.
Customers are also unable to pay cash for flights, instead having to book flights online, according to Mornington Island councillors.
The Mornington Shire Council overcame the obstacle by ordering the flights for its cash-paying ratepayers.
The council spoke about the difficulty of Rex’s transition and cost of tickets since it took over airline services earlier this month to LNP candidate John Wharton, who visited the community last week.
Mayor Brad Wilson said the council had discussed subsidies with Skytrans, Rex, and was attempting to negotiate with the state government.
Cr Wilson said the council was trying to establish a “community base flight rate” which applied only to members of the Mornington Island community. The North West Star found that return tickets from Mornington Island to Cairns cost two parents and two children a total of $1600.
ALP candidate Simon Tayler promised to work with local communities in reintroducing subsidised flights to Cape York communities, so that tickets cost $100 one way.
‘‘As your elected state member I will be fighting for the same subsidies for our Gulf communities. a family of two adults and two children should be paying about $800,’’ Mr Tayler said.