Airnorth fires up engines ahead of winging way to and from Territory more

AIRNORTH is preparing to add more flights to and from the Territory next month in anticipation that NT borders will reopen for interstate travel on July 20

The first ever Airnorth direct flight from Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba has touched down at Cairns Airport. Passengers disembark the aircraft. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

AIRNORTH is preparing to add more flights to and from the Territory next month in anticipation that NT borders will reopen for interstate travel on July 20.

It comes after South Australia announced it will reopen borders on July 20, with Queensland likely to reopen on July 10.

An Airnorth spokesman said the company was looking to add to its flight capacities for routes including Kununurra, Broome, Perth, Cairns and Townsville ahead of next month. This airline is also resuming Toowoomba flights on June 29.

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“We will continue to add capacity on these routes as demand increases,” he said.

“To date Airnorth is operating 118 flights per week, of which 28 are to 10 Northern Territory destinations.

“We also just announced the resumption of weekend services to Arnhem Land.”

From August 1, Jetstar has opened up bookings for daily flights to and from Darwin with Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart.

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Qantas will also be increasing its flight capacity to and from the NT this week, with additional flights to Perth, Sydney and Brisbane.

NT Airports chief executive Tony Edmondstone has said its airports were prepared for the safe reopening of NT borders as and when the NT Government advised.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the NT risked being left behind in the race for domestic tourists if the Chief Minister did not open the borders before July 20.

“If Queensland proceed with opening their borders on the July 10, we would need to beat that if we are to continue to get the benefit from being ahead of the game,” he said.

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“There are many tourism and hospitality venues saying they don’t need a 30-day lead time so the Chief Minister shouldn’t feel bound to any 30 day requirement from our perspective.”

NT Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Ireland said he wouldn’t hold his breath for a date earlier than July 20.