How Cairns flights may be impacted by new COVID crisis

Cairns travellers are in limbo as New South Wales’ COVID nightmare worsens and hard borders are reinstated, with one airline confirming it plans to reduce flights to the Far North.

THE Far North will lose $5 million for every week the greater Sydney area remains locked out of Queensland as the southern state’s COVID crisis deepens.

Tourism authorities fear the hot summer the region was hoping for, which would have been worth a much needed $125m to the local economy, could be halved with Sydneysiders making up a huge number of the domestic tourists booked to visit.

Airlines were scrambling on Monday over future bookings on Sydney to Cairns flights now potentially in limbo with possible cancellations.

Virgin announced they would be reducing flights in and out of Sydney to all destinations, while Jetstar and Qantas are yet to announce anything formally.

The Cairns Airport enjoyed its busiest week of the year last week after thousands of dollars were pumped into tourism campaigns to lure Sydney and Victorian residents north for the summer break.

The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service is operating a Fever Clinic on Aumuller Street in Portsmith. Picture: Brendan Radke

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But Tourism Tropical North Queensland boss Mark Olsen said the Greater Sydney lockout was a blow as that area accounted for about 70 per cent of New South Wales visitors.

“We understand with the level of cases (the lockout) needed to be extended,” he said.

“But we know a lot of people had been looking forward to having summer in the tropics and getting 2020 behind us.

“It is a big hit to the region, particularly for reef operators who have had a really hard year.

He said the impact on Far North families hoping to reunite with Sydney family over Christmas was also devastating.

“I hope for everyone’s sake they get it under control as soon as possible,” he said.

COVID testing rates spiked significantly in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in the past few days following the Sydney cluster.

A Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service spokesman said there had been 1,012 tests conducted in the region between December 9-16, but there was believed to have been a surge over the weekend – yet to be calculated – with a mobile testing site briefly erected in Port Douglas.

COVID traces were also detected at a Cairns North wastewater facility late last week.

Mr Olsen also echoed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s warning to businesses over poor COVID plans and check in procedures.

“There is every chance at some point this could happen here and we need to be ready for it,” he said.

“Every single case could create tens of cases.”

Originally published as How Cairns flights may be impacted by new COVID crisis