Talking Point: Hobart Airport ready for NZ flights when governments say the word

Hobart Airport can welcome flights fast — a once-in-a-decade opportunity if government acts now, says Matt Cocker

ACROSS THE TASMAN: Subject to some Border Force changes, Hobart Airport is ready to welcome direct flights from New Zealand. Picture: ISTOCK

SEIZING the opportunity of welcoming passengers directly to Tasmania from New Zealand will be extremely beneficial to the state’s economic revival, creating jobs and investment to ensure our future growth.

With the proposal being seriously considered by prime ministers Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern, the trans-Tasman bubble concept offers great hope for social and economic recovery.

According to the latest reports, Sydney is now likely first in line to be the first airport to accept Kiwi arrivals as part of a trans-Tasman travel bubble which is set to act as a guinea pig for future relaxation of international travel restrictions.

Other states, like Queensland, are also considering the lifting of restrictions earlier than they had previously considered.

Tasmania has managed the impact of COVID-19 effectively and, as a result, is a safe and viable option for such travel.

To make sure we are not left off the map and do not miss out on the benefits such an arrangement would provide, we need to act now, and we need to act fast.

As the main gateway to Tasmania, Hobart Airport welcomed more than 65 per cent of all inbound and outbound tourists to the state prior to COVID-19. It was the fastest growing capital city airport in the country domestically, with growth of 5 per cent year-on-year for the past five years, facilitating 2.7 million passengers in 2018-19. Direct international flights to Hobart had been on the horizon for a number of years, but moving goalposts in terms of Border Force requirements have prevented services from being locked in.

Now, COVID-19 has changed the landscape.

Despite its devastating effect on nearly all walks of life, its impact has also opened unique opportunities.

If international flights are not secured now as part of Tasmania’s COVID-19 recovery, Hobart is at risk of falling to the bottom of the queue as airlines focus on rebuilding pre-existing routes in the post-lockdown environment.

While we focus, of course, on reopening the domestic network, we must do what we can to secure this opportunity as soon as we can.

Hobart control tower. Picture: Matt Thompson

If international flights are secured now, it gives us a golden opportunity to return to — and to work down the road to surpassing — the strong economic conditions we were enjoying not so long ago. Simply put, this is a once-in-a-decade opportunity emerging from the terrible circumstances brought about by this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

Following infrastructure upgrades over the past five years, such as our terminal redevelopment and, more importantly, the extension of our runway, the airport is ready to grasp this opportunity.

Subject to support from the Federal Government with regards to Border Force personnel, Hobart Airport is able to commence flights to and from New Zealand at short notice using temporary facilities.

To achieve this, we need the Federal Government border agencies to be flexible; to work within our temporary facilities in order to lock in the benefits international flights will provide our state.

We are aligned with the recent announcements of the Premier and will continue to work with the State Government. With its support, we are extremely hopeful that we can be in a position to ensure that facilities are available in as short a time frame as possible. Longer- term, terminal facilities would be upgraded in line with passenger growth.

Attracting direct international flights would be a significant stimulus for the Tasmanian economy and an investment in the state’s recovery and future.

With the Tasmanian economy facing recession following the rapid and systematic shutdown of the $2.5 billion visitor economy in March — a visitor economy so much of the state’s business relies on — stimulus measures to support this sector have never been more important.

Not only would direct flights to New Zealand help our state’s economic recovery, it would secure the future of Hobart Airport as an international airport, opening up new freight and passenger routes, the immediate development of temporary facilities, and the longer-term upgrades would inject significant dollars into the economy and create much needed jobs. The entire Tasmanian community has done remarkably well in playing by the rules and managing COVID-19, but the pandemic’s impacts on our society have been profound.

In order to properly recognise the sacrifice made by the community and reverse the effects of COVID-19 on our not-long-ago thriving community, the need to pursue opportunities for regrowth has never been greater.

Direct international flights, combined with a re-established domestic network to and from Tasmania, offer just the ticket.

Matt Cocker is chief operating officer and acting chief executive at Hobart Airport. He has worked for 16 years in the aviation industry, including at international airports.