Newcastle Airport (NTL) has posted a small increase in passenger traffic over 2019, new figures reveal.
Total travellers amounted to 1.284 million passengers, a 1.5 per cent increase on the year prior.
CEO of Newcastle Airport Dr Peter Cock said the growth was supported by more destinations and air routes originating or terminating at the Hunter-based airport, which services the NSW North Coast and Central Coast.
The record 2019 calendar year included the airport’s busiest ever month in October, when 118,896 passengers passed through the location.
“Newcastle Airport is part of a strong, vibrant and diverse regional economy with a real propensity to fly. It’s also a great place to visit for those living interstate and overseas,” Cock said.
“As a result, we’ve seen airlines start to approach us recently with a view to connecting our region to new international destinations.”
“That’s a great sign for local people wishing to travel and fantastic for the visitor economy, which has done it tough in recent months.”
Newcastle Airport is joint owned by Newcastle City Council and Port Stephens Council and contributes around $1.2 billion to the economy of the Hunter Region.
Aircraft operators include Jetstar, Virgin Australia, QantasLink and Regional Express.
According to Cock there is still upside potential for growth.
“We have a bold vision for the airport, which includes improvements to both the runway and the terminal,” he said.
“This upgrade will unlock billions of dollars in economic potential and represents a once in a generation opportunity for a region with a greater GDP than Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory,” Cock said.