State rescues stranded student and pensioner ticketholders

21/9/01
The State Government is stepping in to help students and pensioners who have lost their Travel Subsidy Scheme tickets booked with Ansett or Skywest.
The Government has also made provisions for WA Student Subsidised Travel Scheme students to get access to seats on RAAF planes.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said today that Ansett and Skywest tickets held by eligible students and pensioners would be replaced with Qantas tickets, or with coach fares where alternative air tickets were not possible.
Ms MacTiernan said this move to rescue stranded students was expected to cost about $150,000.
"Students should not be disadvantaged by the collapse of Ansett Airlines and its regional carrier, Skywest - particularly when they are booked to return home for the school holidays next week," she said.
"Students eligible for the subsidy live in remote areas and it is important that they get home to family life when they can in school or university holidays.
"We do not want to see them stranded in Perth away from their families because the tickets they have purchased through the scheme are now useless."
Ms MacTiernan said the department would organise replacement Qantas tickets for students where available, but where Qantas had indicated that it might not be able to provide seats, the department was encouraging schools and parents to use road coach services.
"The department is using its regional offices and reference groups to keep parents informed and assure them that everything possible is being done to ensure their children get home safely," she said.
"It is in constant contact with schools to keep them informed of developments as Qantas seating capacity changes daily.
"Where children have special needs, the department is working with schools to ensure students are appropriately cared for when travelling on road coach services."
Ms MacTiernan said she and her department had negotiated with the Department of Defence for places on RAAF Hercules planes to take students on the Student Subsidised Travel Scheme back to the north of the State next Friday and Saturday.
Under the State Government's scheme, school and university students living in defined remote areas receive four return trips each year.
The Pensioner Annual Free Trip Scheme is provided for eligible pensioners who have lived north of the 26th parallel for a continuous period of two years.
They are entitled to one free return trip to Perth, or anywhere in the South-West land division at similar cost, by air or bus.
"Pensioners are the group of people least likely to be able to afford replacement air tickets, and the Department for Planning and Infrastructure will replace tickets already purchased by this group," Ms MacTiernan said.
Media contact: Keri Welham 9213 6400