Flight numbers take off as border reopens

The reopening of the NSW-Victoria border will see the return of hundreds of flights to domestic airline schedules.

The Qantas terminal at Melbourne Airport has seen little activity in recent months. Picture: David Crosling/NCA NewsWire

Qantas and Virgin Australia have added hundreds more flights between Victoria and NSW in preparation for the November 23 reopening of the states’ border.

The border announcement by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday, in response to the fifth consecutive day of zero COVID-19 cases in Victoria, was welcomed by airlines and airports. Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said the move would be a “massive boost for the entire aviation and travel industry”, which had borne the brunt of the restrictions.

Before the COVID-19 crisis, Melbourne-Sydney was Australia’s busiest air route and the second-busiest in the world, with more than 9 million people a year flying between the two cities.

In recent months, Qantas and Jetstar have operated only 10 flights a week on the route, and Virgin Australia five.

From November 23, Qantas will fly 75 return services a week, and Jetstar 42, while Virgin increased frequencies to four flights a day.

Sydney-Melbourne flights start from $199 with Qantas and $75 with Jetstar. Virgin tickets start at $139.

The Qantas Group also flagged more services to regional locations including Sydney-Mildura, Sydney-Bendigo, Melbourne-Ballina and Melbourne-Newcastle, totalling more than 250 flights a week.

Qantas Domestic chief executive Andrew David said it was “fantastic news” for the airline and the communities it served.

“November 23 will be a day many people will now be looking forward to. It’s exciting for the family and friends who can finally be reunited after months apart,” Mr David said.

“It’s also great for businesses, and great for getting more of our planes in the air and more of our people back to work.”

A Virgin Australia spokesman said the open border would help restore confidence in the tourism and aviation sectors, and provide certainty in terms of jobs and the airline’s ability to increase flying.

“An open border between NSW and Victoria allows us to bring more of our team members back to work and gives customers the ability to do business, reunite with loved ones, friends and family,” he said.

The airlines were hopeful the border reopening would give other states the confidence to follow suit, and once again allow travel in and out of Victoria.

“It’s great to see NSW and Victoria working together on what is a national issue,” Mr David said.

“Queensland and Western Australia are unfortunately taking a different approach, which doesn’t seem based on a realistic assessment of risk.”

Mr Culbert also took aim at what he described as the “hold-out states”, saying: “It’s time for them to back their health systems, stop playing games with people’s lives and livelihoods, get the borders open and get the country moving again.”

Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi agreed.

“It is now time for all states and territories to ease border restrictions so we can reconnect families and get the economy rolling,” Mr Strambi said.

“Pre-COVID-19, six out of the 10 busiest routes in the country originated in Melbourne. Having so much traffic cut off from the network has been a drag on the economic recovery of every other state in the country.”