Cathay Pacific: Airline’s Cairns exit devastates exports

A multi-million dollar export industry has been brought to its knees by the sudden loss of its chief transporter.

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AN EXPORT industry worth more than $100 million has been brought to its knees by the sudden loss of its chief transporter.

Cathay Pacific has been a consistent bulwark for Far North Queensland agriculture and aquaculture over more than a quarter of a century – a means of moving our fresh and live produce to an otherwise largely impenetrable Asian market.

MG Kailis Lobster general manager Brett Arlidge runs the biggest exporter of lobsters in the region, shifting hundreds of tonnes of the crustaceans each year. “The total value of the tropical lobster business flowing out of Cairns in any given year would definitely be north of $40 million,” he said.

Agricultural and aquacultural exports are expected to be affected by Cathay Pacific’s shock axing of Cairns flights. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“That’s lobsters alone.

“Then you add the beche-de-mer, fish, produce – it’s huge.”

Mr Alridge was stunned when the Cairns Post broke news of the airline’s final departure yesterday.

“This could affect an entire industry with thousands of people directly involved in the Torres Strait, Papua New Guinea and Queensland,” he said.

“It’s a big deal, especially because there were quite a few other carriers but they have largely all withdrawn from the market.

“We’re going to have to see what can be done about it.”

Advance Cairns chairman Trent Twomey said the decision would be a kick in the guts to the economy.

“It isn’t just a shame for tourism but also agricultural and aquacultural exports,” he said. “The reason Cathay Pacific survived the 1997 financial crisis, swine flu, avian flu, the GFC, is because the bellies of those planes were being filled with seafood.

“If we lose this important aviation route it is going to be a hit to the economy on multiple fronts, not just tourism.”

Originally published as Cathay Pacific: Airline’s Cairns exit devastates exports