Hannah Dowling

Australia is set to welcome rapid antigen COVID-19 testing for at-home use ahead of the planned introduction of home quarantine and the restart of international travel.

Despite reporting its lowest passenger figures since 1994, the numbers placed Brisbane Airport slightly ahead of Sydney’s 7.26 million passengers, and Melbourne’s 5.89 million.

Australians relied on fixed-wing charter flights more than ever during the COVID pandemic, with demand increasing over 35 per cent since June 2019.

In the 12 months to 30 June 2021, over 1.73 million passengers flew between the NSW and Victorian capitals, keeping it as Australia’s busiest route, despite passenger figures falling 73.8 per cent from the previous year.

QantasLink performed its first direct flight between Adelaide and Townsville on Monday, as it prepares to add an additional 30,000 seats per year – or three return services per week – on the route.

Rooting around in your bag for a pen to fill out inbound passenger cards could soon be a thing of the past after the federal government announced a $75 million deal to digitise immigration documentation.