By Luke Voogt
A quarter of a million more passengers flew to and from Avalon Airport this year than two years ago, according to Jetstar’s Australia chief Dean Salter.
“Which is great for the local economy,” he said.
The Jetstar Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer on Tuesday announced the company was on track for a record 780,000 passengers.
The last two years saw a 56 per cent increase in number of passengers, Mr Salter said at a Geelong Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
“Avalon Airport is the gateway for many people wanting to enjoy some of the great attractions in the area, such as the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles.”
The company recorded an increase of 140,000 passengers this year alone, a Jetstar spokesperson said.
Jetstar operates 97 weekly flights – more than 5000 flights per year – in and out of Avalon Airport to four destinations: Gold Coast, Adelaide, Sydney and Hobart.
The company signed a 10-year agreement in April 2015 with the Victorian Government and Linfox Group to operate air services to the region.
Jetstar first commenced services from Avalon in June 2004. The company employs about 50 staff at the airport.
Avalon Airport chief executive officer Justin Giddings credited the rise in passengers to a combination of Chinese tourism and Geelong’s economic confidence.
“It’s amazing how much Chinese visitation we’re getting,” he said.
“They fly into Sydney and do their Sydney stuff, then jump on a flight to Avalon and drive down to the Great Ocean Road.
“It’s an hour closer to the Great Ocean Road (than Tullamarine Airport) and the flights to Avalon are cheaper.”
Mr Giddings said Geelong residents used Avalon as a “discretionary spend airport”, with 80 per cent of local passengers travelling for leisure or to see family.
This type of travel depended on locals’ individual hip pockets more than business travel, he explained.
“If they’re unemployed or not confident about the future of their jobs, they’re less likely to make that decision to fly.”
Mr Giddings said the increase in passengers reflected government investment and the construction boom in Geelong.
“We’re in some ways a good gauge of the confidence in the performance of Geelong’s economy.
“We’ve been through the turmoil of Ford and Alcoa – now all of a sudden we’re seeing new buildings going up all around town.”
New SkyBus services to and from Avalon this year had also boosted the airport’s performance, he said.
