00:01The end of the runway for one of the Red Centre's longest running routes, with Qantas announcing
00:07it's scrapping flights between Alice Springs and Melbourne indefinitely.
00:12This is devastating news for Central Australia.
00:16This service is such a critical component of not only the tourism industry to be able
00:24to get tourists in and out of the region, but also for the liveability of the town.
00:28The direct service currently operates four times a week, but now locals and tourists
00:34will have to transit through either Sydney or Adelaide.
00:37I'm not terribly happy because we get very little out here as it is, and what we do get
00:42is expensive and they've got us over a barrel really if we want to go somewhere, so it's
00:49not very fair.
00:50It just isolates people.
00:53Yes, it's a long way, it's a long way from nowhere.
00:55And for tourism, it would be worse for the tourism.
00:59And it's not the only casualty.
01:02Flights between Darwin and Singapore will also be suspended over the wet season.
01:07In a statement, Qantas apologised to customers, saying the company knows how much people value
01:12direct connections.
01:14However, falling demand and rising costs mean the service is no longer viable.
01:19It went on to explain the airline tried to salvage the route by using efficient aircrafts and
01:25putting tickets on sale.
01:27Victoria is the second largest market of visitors to Central Australia, making this cut another
01:33hit to an industry already grappling with a cost of living and a fuel crisis.
01:38It's going to have a major impact to our town, our region, our tourism industry.
01:44I have family down in Victoria.
01:45It already cost me a bomb to get down there.
01:48There's already restricted flights and now to cut that even more, it just makes it even
01:54harder.
01:54Leaving Outback residents only more isolated.
