NSW extends Western Air Services Subsidy for one year to keep regional flights affordable

# What happened

# Which routes and operators are affected

The extension maintains flight frequencies and fare support for communities that rely on these links to regional centres.

# Why the subsidy matters locally A Far North West Joint Organisation survey reported that 94% of residents and local stakeholders regard the flights as critical. The most common reason people use the services is health care and medical travel, accounting for 35% of responses. The survey also found that flying can save passengers up to seven hours for a one-way trip compared with road travel, especially when accessing referrals or specialist services in larger centres such as Dubbo.

NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said a wide cross-section of users rely on the flights, naming residents, businesses, visitors, doctors, specialists, nurses, social workers, tradespeople and other essential workers. ''Reliable air services are helping keep Western NSW communities connected to the people, services and opportunities that matter most,'' she said, adding the extension gives communities greater certainty and confidence.

Air Link's executive director Mark Kline welcomed the funding extension, saying it ''provides certainty for towns and cities in the west that rely on the services'' and that the flights ''are a lifeline'' by linking remote communities quickly to Dubbo and its services.

# Practical effects for travellers and service providers For passengers the immediate effect is continued access to subsidised fares and maintained frequencies, which matters most for time-sensitive travel such as medical appointments and urgent work trips. For the airlines, the extension provides short-term certainty to plan schedules and staffing across these regional routes.

For regional service planners and local businesses, the ongoing subsidy supports connectivity that underpins access to health care, education, jobs and business opportunities. It also reduces long road travel that can be costly, time-consuming and expose passengers to additional logistical challenges.

# What to watch next

# Bottom line The one-year renewal preserves subsidised air links that residents and stakeholders overwhelmingly deem critical, especially for medical travel. It sustains fixed weekly frequencies for Air Link and FlyPelican and retains substantial time savings for passengers compared with road travel.