logo
The new way to fly out of Australia

The new way to fly out of Australia

Regional airports across Australia are turning into gateways for international travel as new routes and more competition create options for travel-hungry consumers.
This month, the total number of passenger seats on offer from regional airports (on a weekly basis) rose from 18,887 a year ago to 20,145. It's a rise of 6 per cent in the winter school holiday travel months, according to aviation analytics company Cirium, as more flights to New Zealand, Bali and the South Pacific drive up the traffic.
'Australians remain keen to head overseas despite cost-of-living pressures, with travel now firmly embedded in household budgets,' Australian Airports Association chief Simon Westaway said.
The move towards regional departures for international flights to Asia, New Zealand and the South Pacific is driven by frustration with crowded metro hubs, rising demand for overseas travel and the availability of services on smaller commercial aircraft that can fly longer distances.
'Population growth and rising demand are making regional centres more attractive for international services,' said Westaway.
Westaway said that the advances in aircraft technology 'are allowing airlines to fly longer distances with smaller planes'. 'This makes it more viable to launch international routes from regional airports, provided the right infrastructure is in place.'
Loading
Qantas budget arm Jetstar is flying the narrow body Airbus 321LR (standing for long range), capable of flying 7400 kilometres, which means it can be used on domestic and international routes.
Qantas' newly delivered 321XLR narrow body has a range of 8700 kilometres.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'More money in your pocket... not the government's': Major change to HECS could help millions of Aussies save $1300 per year
'More money in your pocket... not the government's': Major change to HECS could help millions of Aussies save $1300 per year

Sky News AU

time3 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

'More money in your pocket... not the government's': Major change to HECS could help millions of Aussies save $1300 per year

Millions of Australians struggling under the weight of rising living costs and mounting student debts will soon receive a much needed financial break, as the Albanese government rolls out sweeping changes to the HECS system. In a major policy move, the Labor Government proposed 20 percent cuts off all existing HECS student debts, a change that will help millions of Australians struggling to pay their student debts. This legislation was introduced by the Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare and is considered to be the first bill introduced by the Albanese government before the start of Parliament's second term. "The average HELP debt today is about $27,600," Mr Clare said in his second reading speech. "When this legislation passes it will cut that debt by about $5,520." "If you have got a debt of $50,000 it will cut it by $10,000," he added. "All up it will cut student debt by over $16 billion." "This bill raises the minimum amount you have to earn before you have to start making repayments – from $54,435 in 2024-25 to $67,000 in 2025-26 and it reduces the minimum repayments you have to make." He continued to explain that for people earning $70,000 it will reduce the minimum repayments they have to make by $1,300 annually. The legislation targets HELP debt, VET loans and apprenticeship loans and is aimed for Australians earning between $60,000 and $180,000. These changes will also raise the minimum repayment threshold, meaning if you earn above the current minimum repayment threshold of $54,435, you will have to pay a percentage of your entire wage as a repayment. It is also known that young professionals and early-career workers, including nurses, teachers, and tradespeople, are expected to be the biggest winners from these changes. However, the universities accord final report described it as 'deeply unfair' as it punishes students who follow their passion and interest. Labor's latest reforms especially this one is seen as a vital initiative that provides immediate financial relief and long term stability to millions of Australians who have been trying to stay afloat in a tough economic conditions.

Nats 'steers' rumbling in party paddock over net zero
Nats 'steers' rumbling in party paddock over net zero

The Advertiser

time6 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Nats 'steers' rumbling in party paddock over net zero

A powder keg has been dropped within the coalition over climate policy as dissenters push for a net zero emissions target to be dropped. Opponents of the 2050 target are ramping up pressure on their leaders to ditch the target, saying it's hurting regional Australia and driving up power bills as Australia phases out coal and boosts renewable energy investment. The debate reignited after former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce flagged a private member's bill to scrap the legislated target. "The last two elections we went forward with a policy supporting net zero and we've been handed our political derriere on a plate," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. He argued Australia should focus on economic viability with big emitters like China, India and the US not making major cuts to emissions while Australia's power prices increased. India has a net zero by 2070 target, China by 2060 and the US had a 2050 target under the Biden administration but climate action has been largely scrapped under President Donald Trump. "Even if you believe every chapter, verse, what net zero was going to achieve, it's not going to achieve it because the world's not participating in it," Mr Joyce said. "So why are we on this sort of singular crusade by ourselves that has no effect on the climate but is incredibly deleterious to the standard of living and the cost of living of the Australian people - it's insane." Opposition Leader Sussan Ley refused to say whether the target will remain coalition policy as a review into its policies continues following their May election defeat. Liberals largely want to keep the net zero emissions policy; they lost a swathe of inner city seats amid concerns they weren't taking climate change seriously enough. "The electorate has told us in multiple elections that this is what they want, and we do have an obligation to leave the planet in a better place," Liberal senator Jane Hume told AAP. Labor has seized on the split over climate policy, with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen saying the Liberals are being held hostage by their junior coalition partner. Mr Joyce has been joined by an unlikely ally in Michael McCormack, another former Nationals leader whom he rolled for the job in 2021. But the two have broken bread over a shared disdain for current leader David Littleproud after both were dumped from his frontbench. Mr Joyce, who was rolled by Mr Littleproud after the 2022 election loss, said he'd support a leadership bid by Mr McCormack, which he hasn't ruled out but acknowledged no imminent challenge. Mr McCormack denied the duo are white-anting their leader, arguing he's standing up for regional Australians who are bearing the negative impacts of renewable energy projects on their land and near their towns. Despite the duo touting leadership troubles for Mr Littleproud, other Nationals MPs hosed down the speculation, saying the talk was from a vocal minority aggrieved over climate policy and personal snubs. Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan compared the two Nationals MPs railing against their leader as "two steers in a paddock". Mr McCormack said he took umbrage with the comments, joking that steers had been emasculated and he was "quite virile and ready to go as far as politics is concerned". A powder keg has been dropped within the coalition over climate policy as dissenters push for a net zero emissions target to be dropped. Opponents of the 2050 target are ramping up pressure on their leaders to ditch the target, saying it's hurting regional Australia and driving up power bills as Australia phases out coal and boosts renewable energy investment. The debate reignited after former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce flagged a private member's bill to scrap the legislated target. "The last two elections we went forward with a policy supporting net zero and we've been handed our political derriere on a plate," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. He argued Australia should focus on economic viability with big emitters like China, India and the US not making major cuts to emissions while Australia's power prices increased. India has a net zero by 2070 target, China by 2060 and the US had a 2050 target under the Biden administration but climate action has been largely scrapped under President Donald Trump. "Even if you believe every chapter, verse, what net zero was going to achieve, it's not going to achieve it because the world's not participating in it," Mr Joyce said. "So why are we on this sort of singular crusade by ourselves that has no effect on the climate but is incredibly deleterious to the standard of living and the cost of living of the Australian people - it's insane." Opposition Leader Sussan Ley refused to say whether the target will remain coalition policy as a review into its policies continues following their May election defeat. Liberals largely want to keep the net zero emissions policy; they lost a swathe of inner city seats amid concerns they weren't taking climate change seriously enough. "The electorate has told us in multiple elections that this is what they want, and we do have an obligation to leave the planet in a better place," Liberal senator Jane Hume told AAP. Labor has seized on the split over climate policy, with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen saying the Liberals are being held hostage by their junior coalition partner. Mr Joyce has been joined by an unlikely ally in Michael McCormack, another former Nationals leader whom he rolled for the job in 2021. But the two have broken bread over a shared disdain for current leader David Littleproud after both were dumped from his frontbench. Mr Joyce, who was rolled by Mr Littleproud after the 2022 election loss, said he'd support a leadership bid by Mr McCormack, which he hasn't ruled out but acknowledged no imminent challenge. Mr McCormack denied the duo are white-anting their leader, arguing he's standing up for regional Australians who are bearing the negative impacts of renewable energy projects on their land and near their towns. Despite the duo touting leadership troubles for Mr Littleproud, other Nationals MPs hosed down the speculation, saying the talk was from a vocal minority aggrieved over climate policy and personal snubs. Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan compared the two Nationals MPs railing against their leader as "two steers in a paddock". Mr McCormack said he took umbrage with the comments, joking that steers had been emasculated and he was "quite virile and ready to go as far as politics is concerned". A powder keg has been dropped within the coalition over climate policy as dissenters push for a net zero emissions target to be dropped. Opponents of the 2050 target are ramping up pressure on their leaders to ditch the target, saying it's hurting regional Australia and driving up power bills as Australia phases out coal and boosts renewable energy investment. The debate reignited after former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce flagged a private member's bill to scrap the legislated target. "The last two elections we went forward with a policy supporting net zero and we've been handed our political derriere on a plate," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. He argued Australia should focus on economic viability with big emitters like China, India and the US not making major cuts to emissions while Australia's power prices increased. India has a net zero by 2070 target, China by 2060 and the US had a 2050 target under the Biden administration but climate action has been largely scrapped under President Donald Trump. "Even if you believe every chapter, verse, what net zero was going to achieve, it's not going to achieve it because the world's not participating in it," Mr Joyce said. "So why are we on this sort of singular crusade by ourselves that has no effect on the climate but is incredibly deleterious to the standard of living and the cost of living of the Australian people - it's insane." Opposition Leader Sussan Ley refused to say whether the target will remain coalition policy as a review into its policies continues following their May election defeat. Liberals largely want to keep the net zero emissions policy; they lost a swathe of inner city seats amid concerns they weren't taking climate change seriously enough. "The electorate has told us in multiple elections that this is what they want, and we do have an obligation to leave the planet in a better place," Liberal senator Jane Hume told AAP. Labor has seized on the split over climate policy, with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen saying the Liberals are being held hostage by their junior coalition partner. Mr Joyce has been joined by an unlikely ally in Michael McCormack, another former Nationals leader whom he rolled for the job in 2021. But the two have broken bread over a shared disdain for current leader David Littleproud after both were dumped from his frontbench. Mr Joyce, who was rolled by Mr Littleproud after the 2022 election loss, said he'd support a leadership bid by Mr McCormack, which he hasn't ruled out but acknowledged no imminent challenge. Mr McCormack denied the duo are white-anting their leader, arguing he's standing up for regional Australians who are bearing the negative impacts of renewable energy projects on their land and near their towns. Despite the duo touting leadership troubles for Mr Littleproud, other Nationals MPs hosed down the speculation, saying the talk was from a vocal minority aggrieved over climate policy and personal snubs. Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan compared the two Nationals MPs railing against their leader as "two steers in a paddock". Mr McCormack said he took umbrage with the comments, joking that steers had been emasculated and he was "quite virile and ready to go as far as politics is concerned". A powder keg has been dropped within the coalition over climate policy as dissenters push for a net zero emissions target to be dropped. Opponents of the 2050 target are ramping up pressure on their leaders to ditch the target, saying it's hurting regional Australia and driving up power bills as Australia phases out coal and boosts renewable energy investment. The debate reignited after former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce flagged a private member's bill to scrap the legislated target. "The last two elections we went forward with a policy supporting net zero and we've been handed our political derriere on a plate," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. He argued Australia should focus on economic viability with big emitters like China, India and the US not making major cuts to emissions while Australia's power prices increased. India has a net zero by 2070 target, China by 2060 and the US had a 2050 target under the Biden administration but climate action has been largely scrapped under President Donald Trump. "Even if you believe every chapter, verse, what net zero was going to achieve, it's not going to achieve it because the world's not participating in it," Mr Joyce said. "So why are we on this sort of singular crusade by ourselves that has no effect on the climate but is incredibly deleterious to the standard of living and the cost of living of the Australian people - it's insane." Opposition Leader Sussan Ley refused to say whether the target will remain coalition policy as a review into its policies continues following their May election defeat. Liberals largely want to keep the net zero emissions policy; they lost a swathe of inner city seats amid concerns they weren't taking climate change seriously enough. "The electorate has told us in multiple elections that this is what they want, and we do have an obligation to leave the planet in a better place," Liberal senator Jane Hume told AAP. Labor has seized on the split over climate policy, with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen saying the Liberals are being held hostage by their junior coalition partner. Mr Joyce has been joined by an unlikely ally in Michael McCormack, another former Nationals leader whom he rolled for the job in 2021. But the two have broken bread over a shared disdain for current leader David Littleproud after both were dumped from his frontbench. Mr Joyce, who was rolled by Mr Littleproud after the 2022 election loss, said he'd support a leadership bid by Mr McCormack, which he hasn't ruled out but acknowledged no imminent challenge. Mr McCormack denied the duo are white-anting their leader, arguing he's standing up for regional Australians who are bearing the negative impacts of renewable energy projects on their land and near their towns. Despite the duo touting leadership troubles for Mr Littleproud, other Nationals MPs hosed down the speculation, saying the talk was from a vocal minority aggrieved over climate policy and personal snubs. Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan compared the two Nationals MPs railing against their leader as "two steers in a paddock". Mr McCormack said he took umbrage with the comments, joking that steers had been emasculated and he was "quite virile and ready to go as far as politics is concerned".

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store