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Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings has raised the idea that his airport could be one of just a handful to accept flights from New Zealand as flying slowly begins to resume.
“It would be a far easier experience to manage, a far less risky environment,” he told The Herald Sun.
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The intriguing prospect comes weeks after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a three-step plan for opening up Australia, with the potential for trans-Tasman flights in July.
Avalon serves both Melbourne and Geelong, and Giddings said his plan would allow the business to return check-in staff and baggage handlers to work.
“People will be itching to travel back and forth,” he said.
In an earlier interview with the Geelong Advertiser this week, the chief executive was confident the nation would recover from the pandemic, despite it being “an absolute headache”.
“On the whole Avalon is doing really well, we are redeploying staff,” Giddings said.
Previously, Australian Aviation has reported how the ambitious airport has introduced ‘touchless’ check-in and bag drop kiosks to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus.
Passengers will be able to control an on-screen cursor by moving their head, and cameras will certify passports when they’re held up to a sensor, rather than physically inserted.
The news is in addition to non-contact temperature, respiratory and heart rate technology developed by the same business, Elenium.
Linda Weaving
says:Yeh. Less risk because Avalon is in such an inconvenient location most airlines & passengers refuse to use it & it’s a financial flop propped up by the Victorian taxpayer! I reckon non essential travellers would choose to stay home rather than fly out of Avalon!
COLLIN KADLER
says:I am ready to fly to Auckland from Avalon Airport, it will be so convenient for people living in Geelong, the best news to date if this can be managed, I have Family in Auckland to visit so the sooner flights can start getting off the ground the better, I do not understand why someone commented that Avalon Airport is such an inconvenient location unless you lived in Melbourne, it is fantastic for many of us living in Geelong, C’mon Justin Giddings we know you are trying hard to manage this and we know you can achieve this if both Governments get there acts together (NZ and Australia)