Tassie airline takes on first mainland route

TASMANIA’S Par Avion is the little airline thinking big.

Par Avion pilot Fin Stronach, pictured at Cambridge Airport, is part of a growing airline

TASMANIA’S Par Avion is the little airline thinking big.

The company yesterday started its first mainland route, flying from Griffith in NSW, to Essendon in Victoria.

Managing director Shannon Wells said Par Avion would run a return service on the route three days a week.

The airline has reportedly invested $1 million in the route, basing a plane and staff at Griffith.

Mr Wells said the company had responded to Griffith community demand to take on the service, after regional airline Rex pulled out of the route last year.

He hoped using Par Avion’s smaller 10-seat plane would make the route viable.

“It’s very tight. It’s a delicate balance between what people want the airfares to be and what the cost is to actually run the service,” he said.

Mr Wells said farmers and business travellers were likely to be their best customers but Griffith AFL fans had already requested weekend flights to attend matches in Essendon.

“It’s all very exciting for us, something a little bit different,” Mr Wells said.

The airline is also expanding back home with a new plane arriving soon with a cockpit made entirely of glass.

Mr Wells said it would be the first of its kind in Tasmania.

He said its the uptake of new pilot training courses were also busy, with bookings already being taken for next year.