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Newcastle Airport says it has been inundated with responses to a passenger survey about potential direct flights to Perth.
The survey, launched earlier this week, is looking to gauge customer interest in Perth flights among customers in the Newcastle and Hunter region, and has already attracted more than 4,500 responses; it also asks about interest in potential flights to Europe.
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Questions include the likelihood of travelling to WA in the next 12 months, reasons for visiting WA, whether passengers would use a direct flight between Newcastle and Perth, and whether passengers would be prepared to fly overnight to Perth.
Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock told Australian Aviation that the high response rate has confirmed a high level of demand for services to Perth, which is currently the fifth-most popular destination for people in the airport’s catchment.
“With enough demand from the region to be able to offer 21 direct flights each week from Newcastle Airport, we are working with our airline partners to make this happen. That’s three flights a day, seven days a week,” he said.
“We know this service will be an invaluable game-changer, enhancing business opportunities and regional connectivity and saving our customers 3-4 hours of extra travel time before jumping on a five-hour flight to Perth.
“With full domestic connectivity in the pipeline and plans for several direct international destinations, Newcastle Airport is committed to its purpose of being the airport the region deserves.”
Newcastle Airport is currently carrying out upgrades partly funded by a $55 million grant from the federal government, which will see an overhaul to its international terminal, including passenger and border processing facilities, to better support international flights to and from the airport.
Originally slated to be completed this year, the terminal overhaul will now be finished in 2025, with the airport signalling in April that it could see up to daily international flights to destinations such as New Zealand and Singapore after it opens.
According to Cock, many passengers from the Hunter choose to fly from Sydney Airport instead of Newcastle due to its international connections. The airport is roughly two hours north of Sydney and has no international services.
“We know the demand locally is good, but we don’t have the airport facilities right now,” he told the Newcastle Herald in April.
“Getting airline flights is a very competitive business. It can take years to get a new route established. But once you do, gee the rewards are amazing.”
Newcastle Airport currently sees domestic flights by FlyPelican, Jetstar, Link Airways, QantasLink, and Virgin Australia, and was previously served by Bonza before the low-cost carrier’s collapse.
