Given half a chance

The controversial bit, though, is the destinations politicians did and didn’t choose. The initial batch of 13 sweeps the country, but Queensland has the vast bulk of the picks with five.

Here, Australian Aviation outlines what you need to know about the airports most likely to benefit.

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast’s position as the country’s largest non-capital city left it vulnerable to the COVID downturn. Not quite big enough to be accepting repatriation flights home, yet large enough to require a substantial effort to keep the lights on and essential flights ticking over. In April 2020, total passenger traffic dwindled to 1,518 – down from 638,000 a few months prior.

Yet now things are looking up: not only will the Goldie get its dirt-cheap tickets – from Sydney for just $44 via Jetstar, for example – but Rex will send its new 737s there, too. Already, Qantas has responded by adding 40 per cent more flights from Melbourne. “With demand building, we are seeing airlines load significant additional capacity for the Easter period and beyond,” says Queensland Airports CEO Chris Mills. “As Australians become more confident that our state borders will remain open, we will see very strong growth – and Gold Coast is at the top of the wish list for travellers.”

It will also embrace the resurgence with a revitalised runway after a critical $5 million upgrade was completed when traffic was low. Currently, all major airlines fly to the Gold Coast from both Sydney and Melbourne.

“We’ve already seen – thanks to research done by Google – a huge spike in people looking for discounted flights to the Gold Coast, so the package is working, and the Gold Coast can expect many more tourists heading their way in April, May, June, July and August,” says the Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan.

Cairns

According to Minister Tehan, the Gold Coast is “neck and neck” with Cairns for the destination likely to be the biggest beneficiary of the half-price ticket deal. It’s not surprising given the airport’s strong recovery: it welcomed nearly 200,000 passengers in December. In fact, Cairns weathered the COVID storm admirably during the worst months as Queenslanders holidayed at the destination with interstate borders closed. In August, its route to Brisbane even became the nation’s busiest.

Back then, Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen revealed the destination had also become the most searched in Australia on Google. “Hotels are experiencing better midweek vacancies,” said Olsen. “They’re reporting a younger demographic is enjoying getaways and mini-breaks.”

With Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar all offering capacity, you can expect to see half-price tickets from Sydney from around $115 one way.

Whitsundays

The region has two main airports: Proserpine and Hamilton Island, both served out of the NSW and Victorian capitals by Qantas and Jetstar. Virgin also offers flights from Sydney to Hamilton Island. Half-price tickets will come as a massive boost to the region, which in November launched a $600,000 ad campaign to encourage tourists to visit. Tourism Whitsundays chief executive Tash Wheeler says the investment would combat the misconception from “southerners” that the destination is difficult to get to. “We have two airports right here in the Heart of the Great Barrier Reef, both offering several direct flights weekly,” she says. “Getting here could not be easier and more convenient.”

Launceston

Launceston was the first government airport in Tasmania and in February celebrated its 90th birthday. It welcomed just six flights a week in its inaugural year but pre-pandemic that notched up to 400. “Tasmania has an undeniable domestic tourism pull which has underpinned our growth over recent years,” explains CEO Hans van Pelt.

“Although we’re experiencing a quiet period due to COVID related restrictions, we are hopeful traffic will increase towards Easter as traveller confidence returns.” Half-price flights to Launceston will be offered to those travelling from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar all operate multiple flights per day to Launceston from each origin city.

Devonport

Devonport is a small regional airport serving Tasmania’s North West, located 10 kilometres outside the town centre and 86 kilometres away from tourist hotspots in the Cradle Mountain and Cradle Coast region. The airport is operated by the Tasmanian Ports Corporation, which previously managed Hobart International.

“We hope these cheaper flights will attract more inbound traffic, which is important for regional dispersal and will be a great asset to local businesses and tourism operators,” says the business’ general manager Dave Race. “From the end of March, we will go from three flights a day to Melbourne to four flights a day, and we are hoping to see a further increase in flights if passenger demand increases.” Flights between Melbourne and Devonport are served by Qantas’ regional subsidiary QLink, with multiple services on offer per day.

Burnie

Burnie is a regional airport adjacent to the Tasmanian town of Wynyard, about 17 kilometres west of Burnie. It services the north-west coast of the state and is only an hour’s drive to the famous Cradle Mountain, as well as the Tarkine and Stanley. Today, Burnie Airport is majority-owned by the town’s city council, with the Australian Airports Association as a minority stakeholder. Rex is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of the half-price ticket deal, operating flights from the airport to Melbourne. Before COVID, the carrier was operating this route up to four times per day. Meanwhile, Sharp Airlines also operates two flights into Burnie each day from King Island.

Broome

Broome International Airport is a designated international airport serving the northern parts of Western Australia, dubbed the gateway to the Kimberly region. When the famous Geraldton-Derby airmail service first landed at Broome in 1922, the ‘airport’ was merely any smooth patch of sand along Cable Beach. However, by 1935, the main 1,500-metre east-west runway and a 1,000-metre cross-wind runway were built where the airport stands today, along with the airport’s first terminal – a tin shed. Today, the airport has seen extensive upgrades and now regularly sees close to 300,000 passengers pass through every year.

Under the government’s scheme, half-price flights to Broome are available from Darwin, Sydney and Melbourne. There are currently no airlines that fly direct from Darwin to Broome. However, Airnorth offers a flight with a two-hour stopover in Kununurra, while Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar offer stopovers in Perth. Qantas appears to be the only airline offering non-stop flights from Melbourne to Broome and is also the only carrier providing non-stop flights between Sydney and Broome, with one return service per week.

Avalon

Avalon was an unassuming council facility when it opened in 1953, mostly designated to cater to military aircraft production. It wasn’t until its purchase by self-made transport billionaire Lindsay Fox in 1997 that it shifted gears into an aggressive expansion from regional airstrip to major player. After adding an international terminal in 2018, it now operates flights to Bali, Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur as well as daily flights to Sydney. Avalon was probably the hardest hit airport in Australia during COVID, with all flights effectively suspended as it endured Melbourne’s first, second and third lockdown. “I must say this is probably the toughest period by far we’ve ever experienced,” chief executive Justin Giddings told Australian Aviation earlier this year.

Under the government scheme, half-price tickets are available on flights to Avalon from Sydney and the Gold Coast, as well as flights to the Gold Coast from Avalon. Jetstar currently operates five non-stop flights to Avalon from Sydney per day and one return non-stop service between the Gold Coast and Avalon.

Merimbula

Merimbula Airport is a regional airport located two kilometres south of Merimbula, on the far south Sapphire Coast of NSW. In 2019, its passenger terminal underwent a significant upgrade, jointly funded by the Bega Valley Shire Council and the federal government. The resulting new terminal was opened only a few months before the pandemic arrived in Australia. Flights from Melbourne to Merimbula are covered under the government’s half-price ticket scheme, with non-stop flights operated by both Rex and QLink multiple times per week.

Kingscote Airport

Kingscote Airport is the only airport serving Kangaroo Island, SA, and its 140,000 annual visitors. It’s within a 30-minute drive of Seal Bay Conservation Park and Mount Thisby and under an hour from Flinders Chase National Park and the Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. In May 2018, a major runway upgrade and a new terminal building at the airport were completed, and the newly expanded airport officially opened on 4 July 2018. Currently, both Rex and QLink offer multiple services per week to Kangaroo Island from Adelaide, the route covered under the government’s scheme.

Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast became one of only a handful of major airports in Australia to shut down during the dark days of COVID. Between April and June, not a single passenger passed through its terminal. Yet, since then, the region has mounted an impressive fightback. In September, Alliance added a twice-weekly service to Canberra before Qantas followed suit weeks later, and in January, Fly Pelican launched the only direct service to Newcastle. The increasing interest was partly due to a massive push from the state government, which encouraged fellow Queenslanders to visit while borders were closed. Virgin, Jetstar and Qantas all offer flights from Sydney and Melbourne.

Alice Springs

Ironically, Alice Springs Airport is perhaps now best known for being the gateway to APAS, better known as Australia’s own aircraft boneyard. The NT government wisely scrambled to inject $3.5 million into the site in July 2020 to increase its capacity, which quickly filled up again with around 100 planes hibernating there in September.

No doubt Alice Springs will be looking to bounce back to something more optimistic. Currently, only Qantas flies from Sydney and Melbourne with tickets usually costing north of $400 one-way. The deal, then, can open the region to a far larger audience and covers flights from Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

Uluru (the Lasseter region)

The NT’s understandably cautious COVID restrictions meant Ayers Rock Airport received no visitors for six months from April last year. But despite some unease, the region is now starting to welcome people back. “As long as COVID is under control in Australia and we keep the same flights from the same places, it’s a good thing to get more tourists to Uluru,” said Mutitjulu Community Aboriginal Corporation CEO Thalia Bohl-van den Boogaard. “It’s what the [Ayers Rock] Resort needs, but it’s also what our businesses need and what the community needs to make some money.” Currently, only Jetstar flies from Sydney and Melbourne.