Airport upbeat as curbs relaxed
AN easing of travel restrictions has been welcomed by Cairns Airport as new passenger data quantified the impact of COVID-19 on the Far Northern aviation industry.
Data for the month of March, released yesterday, showed more than a 50 per cent drop-off in international arrivals when compared with the same month in 2019.
A reduction from 56,423 passengers in 2019 to 22,620 equated to a negative growth rate of 59.9 per cent.
Domestically, the numbers were more positive due to the later implementation of Australian travel restrictions, however they still show a significant decline.
A reduction of 116,747 domestic passengers arriving and departing Cairns Airport in March equated to -39.2 per cent growth on 2019 numbers.
A combined international and domestic loss of 150,550 passengers was recorded across both terminals.
Responding to the March data a Cairns Airport spokeswoman said the numbers reflect a “rapidly changing environment as a result of
COVID-19 and the government restrictions”.
“Cairns Airport welcomes this week’s announcement that restrictions will start to be eased and looks forward to the details of that,” she said.
“This week we welcomed the announcement of another freighter to send seafood supplies overseas.
“The airport is committed to offering seafood suppliers more opportunity across the region and we’re actively working with government and industry to achieve this.”
Since government-imposed travel bans Cairns Airport has operated with a minimal domestic network but continues to cater for essential freight, patient transport, medical supplies and essential workers.
The airport wouldn’t be drawn on the facility’s financial position in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and was not prepared to speculate on the long-term impacts.
“It’s too early to be able to make forecasts about the longer-term impacts of COVID-19 on the aviation industry,” the spokeswoman said. A rolling 12-month data set showed a passenger reduction from 5,103,997 in 2019 to 4,739,723 in March this year.