North Queensland CEO Greg Tonner has asked airlines to support the region and offer fair ticket prices as Cowboys fans scramble for flights from Townsville to Sydney for Sunday’s NRL grand final against Melbourne.
Cowboys supporters have complained of being fleeced with return flights costing as much as $1000 as airlines try to find extra scheduled services for the surge in demand.
Tonner said the Cowboys were working with Virgin and Alliance Airlines to provide more charter services after already organising four additional flights to Sydney.
Qantas are expected to provide extra direct flight services to Sydney this week, in addition to their six daily Townsville-Brisbane services with connections to Sydney.
While more flights look set to be on offer, Tonner hoped airlines did not take advantage of the overwhelming demand.
Return airfares between Townsville and Sydney can normally be purchased for around $500.
“We are just trying to encourage more flights down there — there is demand,” Tonner told AAP.
“But obviously it has to be fair.
“It doesn’t have to be super cheap but it can’t be $800 or $1000 each way.
“It would be nice to see the airlines really support the region.”
The cheapest return flight to Sydney from Townsville on Tuesday was about $800 with some carriers charging more than $1100.
In contrast Melbourne fans would only be expected to cough up to $400 for a return trip to Sydney.
Complaints of steep fares from Cowboys fans have already reached the corridors of power in Queensland.
“To stop people from Townsville getting to the grand final is un-Australian,” Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter said on Tuesday.
Queensland LNP leader Tim Nicholls said airlines were using diehard Cowboys fans as “cash cows”.
“It is totally unacceptable and un-Australian for airlines to start price gouging North Queensland Cowboys fans simply because their team made the grand final,” he told the Townsville Bulletin.
North Queensland coach Paul Green even weighed in, hinting that airlines bumped up their prices from Townsville as soon as the Cowboys made their second grand final in three years last weekend.
“It’s funny how the (flight) prices seem to double once the fulltime siren sounds,” he said.
“I understand they have got a business to run but it is more than coincidental that the prices rise after fulltime.”
Tonner hoped their passionate Cowboys fans were rewarded with extra services to Sydney.
“The team is a channel for this region and how proud the people are of this region,” he said.
“So it would be nice to see a (flight ticket) price fair for business and community up here.”
But Tonner was confident North Queensland would make their presence felt at ANZ Stadium on Sunday despite the ticket price controversy.
“We will work with the state government and try to encourage our providers to make north Queensland a priority to get to the south,” he said.
“It’s not a cheap experience but we will be delighted to hear every voice at the stadium.”
terrence
Guest
All major cities hold big events, they are aimed at corporations as this is where the promoters/stadium make most dollars. Selling packages. $500 for a family, enjoy the seat in the nose bleeds, better off staying at home. I can't see the problem in these events staying in their traditional cities. Both have stadiums with the required seating and a variety of accommodation options. Moving them to smaller cities with smaller stadiums would just put the prices up even more. Less tickets available, demand will outweigh ticket supply, see the average ticket price rise.
The Barry
Roar Guru
As I said they're corporate tickets Big J. I don't know that the hosts would appreciate me sending a shaved baboon in a Storm jersey and a giant foam cowboy hat waving two flags. But I'll ask...
Rob
Guest
Vote. ?
TkNewy
Guest
Your comment about the director's obligation neglects the fact that there is value in obtaining community goodwill and support by keeping prices reasonable. Yes, flights should be at a premium when demand is high and cheap (including below cost) when demand is less than forecast... It maximises value. However the airline needs to consider the social cost to its business of extracting the maximum price from the occasion when determining whether to charge the maximum. Go cowboys
Gray-Hand
Guest
Champ? You clearly don't know anything about 'corporate events'. Melbourne and Brisbane host multiple sporting events on the scale of the NRL final every single year. At least 95% of the attendees at those events are ordinary members of the public. The only differences are what state the attendees are from and how much of a sacrifice they have to make. As it stands, a Sydneysider can attend the NRL grand final for about $500 all up for the day. An interstate fan has to spend $2000 taking into account accomodation, transport and food. And it takes up an entire weekend. $500 may not be cheap, but it is affordable for most people as a once a year (or every few years) thing. $2000 for a football game isn't really justifiable especially if they have a family to support. Rotating the grand final every now and then would allow people outside of Sydney to attend a grand final without having to make unreasonable sacrifice. There isn't any reasonable or logical argument to the contrary.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Think of the children !
terrence
Guest
BigJ, it's sad that there are flights from Darwin to Sydney!
terrence
Guest
Or Rob, the Land of the Queens!
terrence
Guest
Let's face it Gray-Hand, the events you mentioned and the NRL Grand Final are not nuffie-everyday fan events, they are corporate events. that will cost a lot to get to the city (and accommodation), wherever they are played. Supply and demand, champ.
Gray-Hand
Guest
That's a myopic Sydney centric view of the World. It's as dumb as suggesting that the Rugby World Cup should only ever be played at Twickenham, or the Soccer World Cup final be played at Wembley, or that the Olympics should only be held at Athens. It precludes many fans who can't afford $2000 to watch a football game from ever attending an NRL final.
Gray-Hand
Guest
it is not reasonable for the NRL to expect fans to drive 10-12 hours from Brisbane to Sydney and back just to watch a grand final.
Gray-Hand
Guest
No. The prices were jacked up in 2015 as well. This is why the grand final has to be rotated out of Sydney every so often. It simply isn't fair that fans outside of Sydney have to shell out $2000 and give up an entire weekend to attend a grand final. There are plenty of Interstate fans that will never see a grand final for that reason.
Rob
Guest
My wife has told me we could go to London and visit the Queen for her Birthday for this price. I said "Why would you do that when we are already living in Queens land".
steve
Guest
You know that airlines actually lose money on the " cheap seats " don't you? The airline price wars over the 10 - 15 years have actually caused more problems than they have sold. That people think that $69, $79, $89 and $99 seats are " normal " prices is laughable.
Rob
Guest
LOL. Seriously send old P. Rothfield, Flanagan and Fallen up for a days fishing TB. I'm sure our locals will show them an exciting weekend.
Griffo
Guest
Not really. The cowboys organised some charter flights, transport and accommodation package plus a couple of little pieces of supporter gear and there are two return flight options they've organised for this time. It's 1,295 a head which is not cheap but at least it includes accommodation.
Sam
Guest
to be fair to qantas(I do not own shares or work for them).... the airlines generally struggle to generate profits(returns on money invested are generally very low with high competition). They get very few opportunities a year to make good money. Townville folk have desperately called for more flights and qantas have gone to the expense of obtaining them and people are complaining now the prices are too high. if it were a bank/telcos I would be thinking differently. On the flip side many tradies often quote me more than the "normal price" because of "supply and demand", if you give me $500 i can start before next month! I have another idea. drive! (or atleast dont flight there friday night and return monday night=lazy tax).
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sounds ideal Rob...visit Queensland without having to put up with Queenslanders because they're all down here for the GF. ??? There's gotta be a market there!
BigJ
Roar Guru
the really sad thing about this is that its cheaper to fly from Darwin to Sydney then it is Townsville to Sydney.
BigJ
Roar Guru
Barry if you don't wan those tickets I take them. !!!!!!!