Avalon international flight announcement could come ‘within days’ as airport’s industrial park expands further

A long-awaited announcement of international flights returning to Avalon is imminent, according to the airport’s owners.

Avalon Airport is ongoing in its attempts to attract an international airline.

The owner of Avalon Airport has given the strongest indication yet that international passenger flights will soon return, saying an announcement could be made “within days”.

The airport’s executive chair David Fox said negotiations with several airlines were ongoing and that the construction of a VIP lounge was part of those discussions.

“Hopefully, within the next three of four days we’ll be making some announcements in regards to our international terminal getting up and running again, which will be fantastic for everyone,” he said.

“We’re looking at with one particular customer, or partner as I prefer to say, anywhere up to 45 flights a week, so we’re talking multiple destinations.

“We’re seeking support from the state and federal government, hopefully that will come and then we will really start moving.”

Mr Fox and airport chief executive Tony Brun declined to elaborate, citing commercial-in-confidence.

Avalon’s international terminal opened in 2018, with AirAsia flights to Malaysia kicking off that year, but they ceased amid the Covid pandemic.

The airport had deals with two other airlines – Citilink to Bali and Vietjet to Vietnam – but both fell through during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Brun said greater competition and capacity would be a win for passengers.

“This is the best way to drive up customer service levels and drive down prices,” he said.

“For us, it’s just getting that first international back and we think once that starts happening, the rest will come.”

It is understood there would be a three-month wait for flights to take off after an announcement was made.

In an earlier interview with the Geelong Advertiser, Mr Brun noted Qatar Airways flies passengers out of Adelaide with lamb processed in Geelong as cargo.

“To think you’ve got Victorian lamb processed in Geelong getting trucked to Adelaide to fly to Qatar doesn’t seem to make economic sense,” Mr Brun said.

“It makes so much more sense for them to fly out of Avalon, providing greater choice for Victorians and also helping drive down costs for our local producers.

“Airlines like Qatar really have an opportunity, and a benefit, in flying in and out of Avalon.”

Qatar Airways recently had its request for additional flights in and out of Tullamarine blocked by the federal government.

Avalon is classified as a “regional” airport and not beholden to bilateral air service agreements, meaning Qatar could conduct as many flights as it wanted in and out of Avalon.

A Qatar Airways spokeswoman declined to comment, citing the ongoing Senate inquiry into bilateral air agreements.

Corio MP Richard Marles said the federal government was working closely with Avalon.

“I know that for all of us in Geelong, we would love to see that terminal open again and we will continue to work with the Fox family around that,” he said.

Mr Marles was on site Thursday morning to open Australia Post’s state-of-the-art parcel facility within the airport’s industrial park.

The $75m, 14,000sq metre facility has capacity to process 40,000 parcels a day, employing 160 people.

Australia Post chief executive Paul Graham said online shopping would continue to grow and e-commerce was an increasing focus of the business.

“Expanding our capacity in Avalon ensures our customers will receive a consistently reliable service,” he said.

Originally published as Avalon international flight announcement could come ‘within days’ as airport’s industrial park expands further