Queensland’s Regulated Regional Air Services Under Review

By Andrew Curran.

Queensland state government officials are embarking on a regional roadshow to get feedback from locals about Queensland’s regulated regional air services.

The Queensland Government currently subsidises and regulates seven air routes which connect regional and remote towns with larger coastal cities. However, the contracts are due to expire in December 2026. The government says that community consultation is an important step in the process of preparing for the next round of aviation service contracts, which will run for five years.

State governments across Australia (as well as the federal government) regulate and subsidise certain air services where demand is too low for the route to be commercially viable.

Flights to regional and remote towns, where the local population can number only in the hundreds, are expensive to operate. But the flights fulfil an important public service role, particularly for regional and remote residents who need to fly for health and education reasons.

Rex has the lion's share of the existing regional air services contracts

Each Queensland Government contract, which financially underwrites the flights, allows the airline to operate the route for the five-year period. The airline can offer cheaper “community fares” and still be certain of turning a profit.

Regional Express (Rex) currently has six of the seven regulated air services contracts in Queensland, which cover the following routes.

• Brisbane (BNE) – Roma (RMA) – Charleville (CTL), operated by Regional Express (REX);
• Brisbane – Barcaldine (BCI) – Blackall (BKQ) – Longreach (LRE), operated by Qantas;
• Brisbane – Toowoomba (WTB) – St George (SGO) – Quilpie (ULP) – Cunnamulla (CMA) – Thargomindah (XTG), operated by Regional Express (Rex);
• Brisbane – Toowoomba – Charleville – Quilpie – Windorah (WNR) – Birdsville (BNI) - Bedourie (BEU) – Boulia (BQL) – Mt Isa (ISA), operated by Regional Express (Rex);
• Townsville (TSV) – Winton (WIN) – Longreach, operated by Regional Express (Rex);
• Townsville – Hughenden (HGD) – Richmond (RCM) – Julia Creek (JCK) – Mt Isa, operated by Regional Express (Rex) ; and
• Cairns (CNS) – Normanton (NTN) – Mornington Island (ONG) – Burketown (BUC) –Doomadgee (DMD) –Mount Isa, operated by Regional Express (Rex).

Since the last contract negotiations in 2021, new regional operators have emerged in Queensland, including SmartLynx Australia and East Air. Both airlines have the right-sized aircraft to service some of these routes and they may try to lessen Rex's dominance. Having recently disposed of its smaller Dash-8 turboprops, Qantas may be less inclined to bid for the contracts to service the more thinner routes.

Consultation sessions across Queensland

In the meantime, the Queensland Government will host consultation sessions across regional Queensland over the coming weeks to hear about how the existing air services are working and how future air services can better meet community needs.

“Reliable, affordable, and accessible air services are a lifeline for regional and remote communities,” says Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg. “We want every Queenslander, no matter where they live, to have confidence that there are transport options available to them, and this consultation is a critical step in delivering that.”

Sessions will run between November 21 and December 17, 2025, in Toowoomba, Quilpie, Rockhampton, Mornington Island, Windorah, Townsville, Normanton, Goondiwindi, Karumba, Blackall, Charleville, Barcaldine, Julia Creek, Thursday Island, Bedourie, Longreach, Richmond, Boulia, Hughenden, St George, and Roma.

Exact session times and dates for each town are available here.

Several towns nominated for community sessions, including Thursday Island, Karumba, and Goondiwindi, are not serviced under the existing regulated regional air services regime.

Mickelberg says his officials will be talking to local councils, local politicians, and industry stakeholders as well as everyday residents. He says the feedback will help shape future aviation contracts and ensure Queensland’s regulated regional air services are delivered in a way that meet community needs.

Photo: Aero South Pacific.