Avalon Airport’s domestic flights could return to 100 per cent sooner than expected under a federal government subsidy halving airfares.
“It’s fantastic news,” the airport’s chief executive officer Justin Giddings told the Independent yesterday.
“We stand ready to work with the airlines to bring more people to Victoria – that’s what this is really about.”
Prior to the pandemic Avalon was running seven domestic return flights daily.
The airport recently increased its domestic return flights from three to four each day – 57 per cent pre-COVID levels.
“[The airlines operating at Avalon] are planning to get to 100 per cent by mid-April,” Mr Giddings said.
“Hopefully this announcement brings that forward and, hopefully, it eventually gets us beyond 100 per cent of what we were pre-COVID.”
Federal government on Wednesday announced a $1.2 billion subsidy package to halve the price of almost 800,000 airline tickets to get more Australians holidaying domestically.
Between April and July, a 50 per cent discount on tickets will be available for 13 regions that normally rely heavily on international visitors.
The destinations include Avalon and the Gold Coast, one of the airport’s destinations.
“People in Geelong have a really great opportunity to travel again at a low cost rate – even lower than it has been in the past,” Mr Giddings said.
Federal government also announced an extension to waivers for security charges for airlines until September.
Mr Giddings said the policy would benefit both the airlines and passengers by decreasing the cost of tickets further.
The waivers were particularly beneficial during COVID-19, as security charges are higher per passenger when the number of travellers is low, he explained.
Mr Giddings was also “hopeful and optimistic” that improved quarantine procedures would prevent further outbreaks of COVID-19 and resulting border closures that disrupt domestic flights.
Last week Avalon Airport and other organisations submitted their proposals to host outdoor quarantine facilities for returned travellers.
State government is currently considering quarantine sites at both Melbourne and Avalon airports, with Mr Giddings expecting to meet with state officials soon to discuss Avalon’s proposal.
Mr Giddings said Avalon’s planned quarantine facility would not interfere with domestic flights
“It’s about 2km from the domestic terminal,” he said.
