Especially when a clapped out 100 series Dash stuck in the weather and vibrating and banging away covered in ice with 60kts on the nose takes over 2.5hrs to get to ML!
Or the clapped out 100 series gets 80kts on the nose and weather in MEL and stops in Albury for gas.
NTL-MEL is the kind of route regional jets were designed for. I hope Qantas buy some soon.
Virgin will pick up the feral traffic (or "visit friends and family" traffic as they quaintly call it) with a once daily lunchtime flight.
Business and military will prob stay on the 4 x daily Dash stuff so they can just spend a day or morning/arvo in MEL or NTL.
Did Kendall ever operate the CRJ NTL-MEL? Perfect route for it, upgrade from a turboprop.