Temporary ticketing arrangements to cover charters on MacAir routes

The Queensland Government has moved to put in place temporary ticketing arrangements so that people travelling on government-contracted routes serviced by grounded operator MacAir Airlines can make their journey.

Transport Minister John Mickel said up until today charter flights organised by the State Government in place of cancelled MacAir services had catered for people who had purchased tickets prior to the airline being placed in receivership last Friday.

“As the days pass, there will be fewer passengers who have purchased tickets, but nonetheless want to and need to access the charter flights that have been organised.

“The government has acted promptly to organise the charter flights, and has committed to keep them operating until new longer term arrangements can be put in place.

“It may be some weeks before we get a temporary contract in place to provide the services on the routes which MacAir operated under a subsidy-based contract with the government.

“Today I have asked Queensland Transport to contact the local authorities in the areas covered by the MacAir western and northern services so that they can issue and receive payment for tickets, based on the average fare applying.

“The government’s priority is to ensure a continuation of the air services in question, and to put the necessary arrangements in place on the ground so that people needing to catch one of these flights are able to do so.”

Mr Mickel said Queensland Transport had today issued the receivers for MacAir with a show cause notice asking why the Queensland Government’s contract with MacAir should not be cancelled.

“While the receivers have 10 working days in which to show cause, I would hope that we will quite quickly receive advice that this show cause notice will not be contested.

“This will allow us to take the next step and put in place a temporary contract for the air services in question, with a resumption of normal ticketing arrangements.”

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