The problem with the Duck is the Management. Too scared to try something different.. When it was owned by Ansett, they were offered Fokker 50s and all the support to operate them out of Willy...no, management was too scared. It was a cash cow returning at least 1 million AUD profit annually and if it aint broken, why fix it. That mentality has stayed with management.
It's a new ball game now with the demise of AN but it shouldn't hold them back. They have a captured audience of well over 500000 people in Newcastle/ Lake Macquarie / Hunter areas and a monopoly on the airport...should be able to make something with that!
Unfortunately they sold 2 of the best twin otters in the world (wont find machines like those again - now parked in desert in Dubai and haven't flow since - it's believed that the Sheikh who purchased them had searched the planet), which has now left them short with the new Willy run and numbers increasing out of Belmont. Could have leased the machines out and returned them when movements were on the rise. Good twin otters are like hens teeth. I believe the Bandit is limited in what it can carry ex Willy.....useless piece of s#%t....no wonder it was so cheap!
The Duck is an excellent little airline with heaps of potential and with good management and marketing should be around for years to come.
By the way guys, a telephone number or advertising in the Sydney Yellow Pages under Airlines may help....