Qantas: Melbourne direct to Byron Bay (Ballina)

This seasonal route is a first for Qantas but an old stamping ground for discount offshoot, Jetstar. Three flights a week will add about 1,000 seats to the route per week. Qantas will move to daily flights over summer from mid-December to approx, end of January, making a total of 2,400 additional seats per week.

Qantas will operate Boeing 737 aircraft to Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.

“Byron Bay has been one of the most in demand holiday destinations for Qantas and Jetstar customers over the past year and we’re pleased to be making it even easier for Victorians to visit,”

Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

Over Christmas and New Year, is not the best time to be in Byron. It’s full as a goog, restaurant bookings are hard to get and house rentals are astronomically high. My advice is to wait until February. On the other hand, I’ve been in Byron over the summer holidays, for maybe the last 30 years, and I still love it.