Travellers are set to have more flight options with another airline moving to resume more Dubbo services within the month.
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Regional Express (Rex) announced it would operate nine Dubbo to Sydney and nine Sydney to Dubbo services per week starting from July 6.
That's a jump up from the three weekly return services Rex has been providing between Dubbo and Sydney with Commonwealth funding since April.
The federal government is currently supporting the domestic aviation sector through more than $1.2 billion of measures to sustain it during the crippling COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week Qantas announced it would triple its services between Dubbo and Sydney to six weekly return flights by the end of June.
Dubbo mayor Ben Shields welcomed the extra services.
"I am very pleased that there will be more flights operating between Dubbo and Sydney in the coming weeks," he said.
"The last few months have been a difficult time for commercial airlines and airport operators, and the effects will be felt for a long time to come so every step towards a resumption of full service is very welcome."
Running the city's airport during the pandemic continues to be a challenge for the council, which in April forecast the facility would lose up to $1.4 million to the end of June as a direct result of COVID-19.
On Wednesday council director of culture and economy Natasha Comber provided an update to the Daily Liberal.
"Council is consistently reviewing the market, reviewing other 'push' and 'pull' financial effects, and reducing expenses where possible; however, council is still forecasting a significant loss due to the full effect - regionally and nationally - of the pandemic," Ms Comber said.
There's no quick fix on the horizon.
"Our forecasts are currently under review, however, an operational deficit for the coming quarter is likely," Ms Comber said.
"Current positive indications are passenger numbers are increasing quicker than initially budgeted for, however, a full recovery to strong numbers through the airport is speculative and unknown.
"Importantly post July, council will be in a position to fully cost recover screening charges to the airlines following subsidies by the federal government, and this will assist the budget position."
From Monday to Friday last week there were 234 passengers travelling through the city's airport, the director reported.
All four full-time airport staff had remained at work throughout the pandemic, and the council had used the time to complete works that would initially be difficult to manage under "normal conditions", including apron expansion completed and line-marking completed, Ms Comber said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
