Jake Nelson

The addition of the 20-metre aerobridge comes as the airport says it will open the new terminal in four months’ time. The multi-million-dollar upgrades were originally slated to be completed last year, but were delayed to this year due to “supply chain issues”.

Exercise Sea Dragon 25 in March saw Australia work with military contingents such as the US Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy and Indian Navy to practice co-ordinated anti-sub warfare, including joint P-8A Poseidon aircraft sorties with US forces.

While routes, aircraft, and other details have yet to be confirmed, the news means that Qantas Domestic will not operate major capital city routes out of WSI from the start, likely leaving those services to Jetstar and possibly to QantasLink’s growing A220 fleet.

Flight TL362 took off from Cairns just after 1pm on Monday aboard the Embraer E190 VH-XFL. The route, operating three times per week, will add more than 30,000 seats annually between the Red Centre and Tropical North Queensland.

The airport in the Northern Territory’s Barkly region, operated by Airport Development Group, may see growth of up to 100,000 passengers per year under a new concept plan to convert it into an “aviation and accommodation hub” for regular passenger and FIFO travel.

Qantas Group has called for Requests for Proposal (RFPs) from labour-hire firms to handle ground operations for QantasLink and Jetstar flights at the new airport, which is slated to open next year.