[ad_1]
Solomon Airlines has accused Qantas of trying to push it out of the Brisbane–Honiara route as the Flying Kangaroo looks to expand services.
In a submission to the International Air Services Commission (IASC), the Solomon Islands’ flag carrier said that while Brisbane-Honiara is the “largest international route” for the Solomons and a “significant contributor to the overall development of the nation”, passenger numbers remain low.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please login.
To unlock all Australian Aviation magazine content and again unlimited access to our daily news and features, become a member today!
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
See benefits
-
Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines -
Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
MOST POPULAR
PRINT + DIGITAL
See benefits
-
Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content -
Access to the Australian Aviation app -
Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines -
Access to In Focus reports every month on our website -
Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content -
Daily news updates via our email bulletin
DIGITAL
See benefits
-
Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content -
Access to the Australian Aviation app -
Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines -
Access to In Focus reports every month on our website -
Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content -
Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Qantas is seeking to operate an extra weekly Honiara service using wet-leased Alliance E190s starting 29 March, which would take its weekly flights to the Solomons from four to five.
“Whilst outlining the importance of the route, it is acknowledged that the route traffic numbers are insignificant when compared with most other routes internationally and have shown no post COVID return to pre-COVID levels and in fact have declined and continue to do so,” wrote Solomon Airlines CEO Paul Abbot.
“Given the state of the current market and its likely position in the short to medium term, the additional service would appear to be a cynical attempt to dump capacity on a struggling route in order to ultimately reduce competition by driving out the only other player in the market.”
Only 39,722 passengers travelled on the route in 2025, according to figures from Solomon Airlines, well down from 52,071 in 2019, with 2023–24 also showing a progressive drop in traffic. Australian travellers alone dropped by 7.9 per cent from 2023 to 2024.
“The market has not grown and in fact is in decline, and there is little likelihood that this situation will change, given the Solomon Islands tourism product offering is underdeveloped and is not capable to support and increase the number of visitors, and there is also no commercial activity of note which would drive increased travel,” wrote Abbot.
While Qantas formerly codeshared with Solomon Airlines on the route, the Flying Kangaroo launched its own service after the deal ended in 2023 that “simply … follow[ed] the [Solomon Airlines] schedule and timings”, according to Abbot.
Both Qantas and Solomon Airlines currently fly between Brisbane and Honiara on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with Solomon Airlines also flying on Saturdays and Qantas on Sundays.
“There is no increase in schedule choice for travellers with both carriers operating the same days and in general the same timings,” wrote Abbot.
“Qantas would suggest the addition of the fifth service would offer this choice, but given both carriers are operating in a stagnant and declining market, the additional service will not grow the market but will simply cannibalise existing services.
“Due to the power of the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme and the airline’s access to Australian based corporate and government contracts, Qantas takes a disproportionate percentage of the higher yielding market segments, which has eroded the viability of the route from a Solomon Airlines point of view.”
Additionally, Abbott told the IASC that allowing Qantas to increase flights would have “serious implications for the future of domestic aviation and connectivity within the Solomon Islands”, with Solomon Airlines currently serving 23 ports domestically around the country.
“Due to the great distances needed to be flown and the small number of people who fly (domestic travellers total less than 50,000), the scale does not exist to mount a viable domestic operation,” he wrote.
“The international routes, and the government of the Solomon Islands, subsidise the domestic operation which then allows for the provision to the nation of the much-needed connectivity.
“Should the international operation be forced to downsize or cease operations the result for domestic travellers would be catastrophic, as for most ports there are no other travel options apart from open sea travel in small craft.
“Solomon Airlines respectfully requests that the application for increased services by Qantas on the Brisbane to Honiara route be rejected based on national interest for the people of the Solomon Islands and the future of domestic Solomon Island operations, [and] a cynical attempt using market position to ultimately reduce competition resulting in a lack of competitive options.”
Qantas has said it will work constructively with the IASC on the process.
[ad_2]
Source link
