AFTER months of feverish anticipation a direct air service from Orange to Brisbane has finally taken flight.
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On Monday at 10.50am, the wheels on Fly Corporate’s first plane to depart the Queensland capital for our city touched down at the airport.
The airline’s heavy hitters have been spruiking the new route for months and were reasonably happy with Monday’s patronage of 19 inbound passengers and 14 outbound.
Business travellers, holiday makers and those with familial links to the Sunshine State will, according to Fly Corporate, drive a continued demand for the route.
Even if you aren’t planning on migrating north for the winter (or any other time of year), you still have something to gain by these flights remaining viable.
They will provide a shot-in-the-arm for some local businesses, reducing the tyranny of distance to the booming Brisbane and Gold Coast markets.
They will pour money into council’s coffers through airport fees and open up an important tourism corridor.
And they will bolster Orange’s liveability rating, allowing us to promote direct flights to Australia’s two eastern seaboard capitals.
At a time when young families are being squeezed out of the Sydney housing market, this will make Orange an even more attractive proposition as a place to settle.
Our greatest weakness to potential new residents is our isolation.
People moving from capital cities want to still be close to family and friends.
While cities like Wollongong, Ipswich and Bendigo are booming on the back of their proximity to major centres, Orange’s growth rate is far more modest.
We can’t pack up and move our city closer to a capital so our only option is to rely on transport to allow ease of access.
These flights will do just that, making Orange more attractive to those thinking of a tree change from Queensland.
More residents equals more services, better house prices and a more vibrant city.
The relationship between regional communities and airlines is a peculiar commercial marriage.
In many ways, we need them as much as they need us. As such, it is critical we support the airline.
If we don’t, it could be forced to make a financial crash-landing and be lost to Orange for good.