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Link Airways is set to bring back its seasonal Canberra-Coffs Harbour service next year.
The route, first launched in 2022, will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays from 23 January to the end of April, using 34-seater Saab 340B+ aircraft.
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“We are pleased to reintroduce this service. The previous success of this route gives us confidence that travellers will once again embrace the convenience of these direct flights,” said Jeff Boyd, manager of network strategy at Link Airways.
“It will also create a new convenient connection for travellers through Link Airways’ codeshare partnerships with Virgin Australia, providing great connectivity thanks to Virgin Australia’s expansive route network.
“This announcement strengthens connectivity between the ACT and the Coffs Coast, benefiting business and leisure travellers alike.”
Frank Mondello, general manager at Coffs Harbour Airport, welcomed the return of the service, agreeing it will benefit both the NSW Mid North Coast and ACT markets.
“The recommencement of Link Airways seasonal services between Coffs Harbour and Canberra will create more choice for our community and add more capacity into the region,” he said.
“Team Coffs Harbour has been working to promote the Coffs Coast as a destination of choice and we thank Link Airways for their support in growing aviation connectivity.”
Coffs Harbour Airport has been pushing to boost its passenger traffic back to pre-COVID numbers, having been hampered by low capacity and high airfares.
Mondello told Australian Aviation last November that passenger numbers for FY23 were around 283,000, below the roughly 400,000 passengers before the pandemic.
“It’s a difficult industry to be in at the moment, and there still is some sort of post-COVID hangover, if you like,” he said.
“We’re quite confident that improvement, that return to services and potentially other carriers, will come shortly … we want to make sure that we don’t drop the ball and we are high on the list of priorities for airlines.”
Currently, the airport is served only by QantasLink, Rex, and Link Airways, having lost pre-pandemic services by Virgin and Tigerair. Bonza’s short-lived service from the Sunshine Coast was axed after just over three months as part of a network reshuffle in July 2023, well before its collapse this year.
QantasLink last month increased its capacity on the Melbourne-Coffs Harbour route, replacing the retired 717 with new A220-300s and returning from a twice-weekly schedule to five flights per week.
