'Plovey' I think you will find that such routes ML- WYY that show good returns are due one main factor, there's no option (other than an all day/night ship adventure) so the Airlines have a captive market. I recall sometime ago that the route Kendell's used to have AD-Port Linc (Rex now) was one of their most profitable 'cause to drive was something like an 8 hr drive around the gulf compared to somewhere around 35 mins flying.
'gupy' I just noticed yr above post. Trouble is with the smaller regional centers they are simply too close to have an effective link to capital cities via air. When you take into account the time it takes to drive to the regional drome & arrange to book in await the flight fly to yr destination & collect bags arrange transport to yr final destination would often take longer than a rd trip with these centers now being serviced by mostly freeways & that doesn't take into acc WX issues that would ground a plane but not a car or traffic holding etc. This is the main reason why smaller airlines have failed to succeed, simply not worth it sadly. Yr right about the centerlink generation, Christ what a sad society we are heading for:-(
Wmk2