After Friday’s Queensland border announcement, Virgin Australia has increased flights between Brisbane and Newcastle and plans to reintroduce additional services.
Prior to Friday’s QLD border update, Virgin Australia had been working on a plan to reintroduce a number of services between Queensland and New South Wales which were suspended as part of the airline’s response to COVID-19.
From November 9, Virgin Australia will increase flights between Brisbane-Newcastle from three times per week to six flights per week.
However, with a ban on travel from Sydney still in place, the airline is unable to increase frequency from the hub.
Virgin Australia currently operates a small number of services between Sydney-Brisbane, Sydney-Gold Coast, and Sydney-Sunshine Coast for the purpose of essential travel, and the movement of freight and logistics.
A Virgin Australia Group Spokesman said “Today’s announcement by the Queensland Government is disappointing for many of our customers and
team members who we know want to return to work, do business and reconnect with family and friends.”
“Our decision to reintroduce Queensland services which were suspended as part of our response to COVID-19 is reliant on the Greater Sydney region reopening to Queensland.”
“The announcement by the Queensland Government will allow us to increase frequencies between Brisbane and Newcastle from three times per week to six flights per week from 09 November.”
Virgin Australia Group Spokesman
“Virgin Australia will continue to monitor border restrictions and make any changes to our network as travel restrictions ease.”
“Impacted customers can make changes to their booking without fees up until 31 January 2021.”
What’s the deal with the border?
Last week, Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that Queensland will open its border to New South Wales from 1:00 am on 3 November but will remain closed to residents of Greater Sydney.
The exclusion applies to those who travel from or through 32 Local Government Areas in Greater Sydney, including:
Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Inner West, Ku-Ring-Gai, Lane Cove, Liverpool, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Randwick, Ryde, Strathfield, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, The Hills Shire, Waverley, Willoughby, Wollondilly, Woollahra and Sydney Harbour (Unincorporated).
The Queensland borders will also remain closed to Victoria.
Click here to read the full Queensland Border update story.
Click here for more information.
READ: Which Australian Borders Are Open And To Whom? Your Essential Guide
