VIRGIN has cut all flights in and out of Tamworth and Qantas will fly passengers to and from Sydney only twice a week as the local aviation industry reels from the coronavirus fallout.
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Virgin Australia announced on Tuesday morning it had been placed into voluntary administration, but Tamworth will not be one of the dozens of flight routes it continues to operate.
The passenger numbers on the Tamworth-Sydney route for the airlines have been low for weeks because of non-essential travel restrictions with majority just essential workers and health specialists.
Qantas - which will be the only carrier to service the regional networks - is planning to establish a twice weekly return flight from Tamworth to Sydney.
A draft schedule seen by the Leader shows the aviation giant will establish two flights per week from Tamworth - one on Monday and the other on Friday, set to take off around lunchtime.
On Tuesday, Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson would not be drawn on whether he felt it was fair for the taxpayer to bolster private enterprise, but his government is working with Virgin, it announced earlier that day.
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"My understanding is that for domestic operations Qantas and Virgin will continue to fly," he said.
"In terms of them going into administration today, that's a matter for Virgin and the administrators going forward.
"I'm not prepared to comment on that."
The federal government underwrote the aviation industry because the impacts of COVID-19 had decimated profits.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
