The Australian government has announced a $198 million relief package for regional aviation services which includes subsidies to airline services, as well as an additional A$100 million to provide direct financial support to smaller regional airlines, as needed.
Commenting on the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement which acknowledged that airlines had been “critically disrupted as a result of border closures” and were experiencing a significant reduction in passenger numbers, Airlines for Australia & New Zealand (A4ANZ) Chairman, Professor Graeme Samuel, said the package was a welcome and important measure from Government.
“This regional aviation package from the Government is both welcome and a necessary step in the industry’s survival.”
A4ANZ CEO, Dr Alison Roberts said that Australia as, “a nation [is] more dependent on aviation than most countries around the world, and as the Deputy Prime Minister said today, ‘regional aviation has been smashed by COVID-19.’
The latest relief package is in addition to the A$715 million in support the Australian government gave its domestic aviation sector on March 17, which included waiving fees, taxes and security charges levied on the sector.