NO MATTER WHAT, DON’T GROUND OUR AIRPORT

CAIRNS International Airport cannot be grounded because Queensland hasn’t done a good enough job of the vaccination rollout. The Cairns Post exclusively revealed on Thursday the shock revelation international airlines might be locked out of the city for another five months to protect vulnerable Far North communities with slow vaccination rates.

It doesn’t make sense.

A letter sent from the federal government stating the airport could stay shut until March 26 due to Queensland Health advice prompted outcries including from airport chief Richard Barker, who demanded overseas travel here should open in line with other international airports in the state.

If it doesn’t open, this region risks losing $3m a day into an already cruelled economy.

Air Niugini chief Bruce Alabaster is baffled and disappointed and he won’t be the only airline boss.

Jetstar, which is already selling tickets to Japan from Cairns from February, is in danger of being locked out too if this disaster is not fixed.

The news is likely to send passengers into a frenzy.

The Far North’s vax rollout has been dismal.

While NSW and Victoria have suffered Covid deaths and lockdowns which spurred on vax rates, our state lumbered along while the rest of Australia was urgently getting on with business – and the rest of their lives.

Those states have already aggressively started courting airlines with their aviation attraction warchests.

We are in real long-term danger here. If our airport is being cut off because some community vax rates aren’t good enough, fix it or lock them down. And if our hospital isn’t battle ready, spend the money to make it so.

Either way, our international airport must open for business.