In a move which will see Terry Snow phoning his buddies in the NCA quick smart the SMH reports that Sydney Seaplanes is looking at setting up a service operating between Sydney’s Rose Bay and the pontoons in front of the National Gallery here in Canberra.
“Mr Shaw wants to start flying a 12-seat Cessna Caravan to Canberra within the year – charging a fare comparable with Qantas’s $250 one-way monopoly service – and to market it as one of “the world’s great flights”.
“You would be flying past the Harbour Bridge and landing in front of Parliament at the other end, and it’s beautiful terrain in between,” Mr Shaw said.
It has a huge regulatory burden to get on top of but it would beat the hell out of trekking all the way from the airports back into town.
UPDATED: JD115 has put together a simulation of what the flight could be like:
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What’s Your opinion?
Seaplanes to service Sydney-Canberra?
Yeah but if you’ve only got one or two planes and its a unique service like landing on the lake then I think the economics of it don’t compare to the Virgin effort out of the airport.
I think its a great idea and cant see any real reason why it wouldn’t work. I’m waiting for the civilian version of the V22 opsprey
Al: Virgin stopped flying Canberra-Sydney for the same reason everyone else did – no-one can make a buck on that route if they don’t get a slice of the government business that accounts for the majority of the passengers.
uh… good point. Dunno what I was thinking. :/
I can feel a Youtube video comin’ on
Like I could care if Qantas missed out on business.
Only with them Club wise because stupid Virgin doesn’t do Sydney-Canberra flights. They are returning to the route soon but sorry Virgin – too late – have Q club in the AWA now so you lost me not just for Can-Syd but for every flight. Whole department is in the same boat – thousands of frequent flyers.
Dumb dumb dumb Virgin.
Doesn’t stop me hating flying on Qantas though…
All of that said, I think the seaplane flights are a Qantas subsidiary…
blingbling’s right, security schmecurity.
At least the view might be nice.
I don’t think Qantas will really lose out either – most of the Canberra-Sydney flights are by business people racking up their frequent flyer points, or conveniently located to the airport, or who enjoy using the Qantas Club lounge while they wait for their flight.
But the seaplane alternative might be nice for people who don’t care about those things, and would instead prefer the novelty factor of landing on the lake and walking straight into The Lobby for a latte.
fnaah – people drive to and from Sydney every day without having to go through “airport security” – how is this any different? You’re just travelling from one city to another. If it was an international flight I would understand your concern!
I love it! Cop that Snowtown…
Quite a few seaplanes fly in and out of Sydney every day. Saw three in just an hour at the beach there a couple of weeks back.
Rose Bay used to be the point for sea plane landings in the long, long ago (prior to John Laws). Joy/sight seeing flights, and the odd service to a guchi restaurant on the North Coast is all that remains, I have been led to believe
The seaplane service in Sydney has been operating from Rose Bay for decades, has it not?
ten bucks on the biggest problem will be getting the planes to land at Rose Bay. Dealing with the NCA will be a walk in the park compared those tweed wearing, rosemary and thyme watching homeless beating twits.
sounds great, hope it gets up
You mean bypass useless efforts to make us feel safe at vast expense while actually making us no safer at all?
I’ll have a slice of that thanks.
What an excellent way for people to bypass airport security. No, thanks.
Never going to happen the sound of the planes might damage the precious Albert hall!!