Jetstar expands Avalon operation

Thursday, 11 Jan, 2006 0

Jetstar announced yesterday it would attempt to lure more business passengers to Avalon airport, near Geelong in Victoria, with early-morning flights to Sydney.

The LCC will use an aircraft based at Avalon to launch a 6am flight from March 26. It hopes to appeal to businessmen in Western Melbourne and nearby Geelong.

“What we think this will do is really develop the commercial and business use of Avalon – even more than before,” Mr Westaway said.

“We estimate that about one in five customers using Avalon are doing it for commercial reasons, but we’re working very hard to get the awareness up.”

The airline claimed the boost would guarantee that businessmen could catch 6am flights to NSW and have “legs under a desk” in the Sydney CBD by 9am for the first time.

The budget airline yesterday announced it will also house a plane at Avalon and have up to 30 flight crew working from the region.

State Tourism Minister John Pandazopoulos said the boost firmly established Avalon as one of Australia’s major regional airports.

“This makes Avalon one of the busiest regional airports in the country . . . this is great news for tourism in Melbourne and regional Victoria,” Mr Pandazopoulos said.

“We have two airports in Melbourne now, one servicing low-cost carriers in the domestic market and the other one, Melbourne Airport, our international airport, and the full range of services.

“But Avalon is a great success story.”

Mr Pandazopoulos says about one-third of visitors arriving at Avalon “are tourist travellers going to Geelong and the Great Ocean Road”.

Graham Muldoon

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