The provider, which began operations in the state in January with an initial fleet of three Bell 412 helicopters, is a joint venture between LifeFlight and the Linfox Group.

While details have yet to be finalised, STARLUX Airlines has chosen Sydney as its first Australian destination, with an onward service planned to Auckland, and will compete with China Airlines on the route.

The Canadian flag carrier and Virgin Australia codeshare partner’s previous Melbourne service using 787-9 Dreamliners was scuppered by COVID-19, but according to Air Canada's managing director for international sales, Rocky Lo, the airline has put Melbourne on its “New Frontier” expansion plan.

The specially-fitted plane took off from Airbus’ facility in Toulouse on Tuesday for a three-hour and 43-minute flight over France and the French Atlantic coast. It comes as the second aircraft progresses through the final assembly line.

The carrier says more than 90 per cent of COVID-19 credits have been redeemed over the past four years, and that it has made the credits “very easy to use, offering customers the ability to use their credits on all flights operated by Virgin Australia, as well as flights on its partner airlines”.

In its new policy paper, Business NSW argued that small and medium businesses in regional NSW face “higher operating costs, reduced access to customers and suppliers, and fewer opportunities to grow” due to the current state of the regional aviation sector.