Bendigo fought hard to secure direct flights to Sydney, and the service has been a huge success — flights are often full, and it has become vital for business, tourism, and our community.

From November 2025, Qantas plans to move both flights to the middle of the day. This makes the route far less useful: business travellers will lose full working days in Sydney, face higher costs from overnight stays, or be forced to drive to Melbourne and fly with competing airlines.

This change risks reducing usage and undermining the long-term viability of the service.

We call on Qantas to listen to the Bendigo community and retain a daily schedule that works — with at least one early-morning Bendigo–Sydney flight and one evening return from Sydney.

Let’s keep Bendigo connected in a way that supports business, tourism, and our future.