Virgin Australia is back flying three weekly trips between Sydney and the Gold Coast

Embattled Virgin Australia is back flying three weekly trips between Sydney and the Gold Coast as it fights for survival.

EMBATTLED Virgin Australia is back flying three weekly trips between Sydney and the Gold Coast as it fights for survival.

Virgin resumed Sydney-Gold Coast return flights on Friday with the service now guaranteed each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

They are the only commercial flights at the airport after air services were decimated by coronavirus.

The second return flight for the revived service for “essential” workers landed at Gold Coast Airport from Sydney yesterday before taking off again soon after.

Virgin Australia is back flying three weekly trips between Sydney and the Gold Coast as it fights for survival. Picture: Supplied

Gold Coast Airport is hailing the flights on its Facebook saying “Virgin Australia has resumed services to Gold Coast Airport as part of the package announced by the Federal Government last week to support essential travel.”

Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration on Tuesday with accounting giant Deloitte appointed to work with Virgin management on its $5 billion debt bomb.

The flights are being propped up by Federal Government’s $165 million package for essential domestic travel. The assistance underwriting the flights is in place for eight weeks before it is scheduled for review.

Queensland Airports Ltd CEO Chris Mills said it was positive to see the Sydney connection continuing.

Virgin Australia. Picture: Supplied

“It’s all part of the Federal Government scheme to underwrite flights to ensure the regions and capital cities stay connected. It’s for essential workers. No one is travelling for leisure.”

Anyone travelling interstate and not considered on an essential trip would have to spend two weeks in quarantine on arrival

In yesterday’s Bulletin, Mr Mills said he shared “optimism” around Virgin’s predicament as it fights for survival after Federal Government refused its request for a $1.4 billion bailout.

A city tourism source said the inside was Virgin would re-emerge “bigger and better with a more streamlined, more efficient product that will suit our city better”.

“There is no question they will come back.”