A Dubbo-Cobar air service has been suspended but a direct flight between Sydney and Cobar is rebounding after the COVID-19 lockdown, FlyPelican reports.
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The airline started the two routes after a deal was struck by the NSW government and the Far North West Joint Organisation of councils 12 months ago to return regular passenger flights to their communities.
The joint organisation, made up of Bourke, Cobar and Walgett shires received $8 million in funding over four years to ensure the new routes' sustainability.
FlyPelican launched three round trips weekly between Sydney and Cobar, and a Dubbo-Cobar return service two days per week.
In a recent update to the Daily Liberal, FlyPelican chief executive officer Marty Hawley confirmed the Dubbo-Cobar service had been "suspended", saying it was partly because of COVID-19 and partly because of passenger numbers.
It was a joint decision by the joint organisation and FlyPelican, he said. There was not yet any plans to restart it.
"We're in the middle of COVID-19, starting it up again is not something we're thinking about at the moment," he said.
The Newcastle-based airline that flies between eight ports is continuing to feel the COVID-19 crisis.
"In the climate we're in at the moment, we've obviously been smashed as a lot of businesses have, especially airlines and tourism businesses with COVID," Mr Hawley said.
Border closures had impacted the number of passengers travelling, especially business travel, he said.
"So people who were flying interstate for any sort of business trips now can't do so, so we had to cut down our schedule dramatically," he said.
But the Sydney-Cobar route is experiencing some recovery on the three direct return services each week.
"The numbers on that service did drop off quite a bit when everyone was in lockdown, but the numbers each month since then are picking back up, and it's going quite well," Mr Hawley said.
The recovery for the Cobar service has been probably one of the better ones...
- FlyPelican's Marty Hawley
"The recovery for the Cobar service has been probably one of the better ones, and also the services we operate to Ballina. So we operate from Newcastle and Canberra and, from Friday, Dubbo to Ballina.
"So those services have been quite strong.
"All the rest of the services we operate are still quite badly affected."
FlyPelican has started a last-minute seat deal on its Dubbo-Newcastle flights and other selected services, where any remaining seat within 72 hours of departure is just $72 one way.
Air Link, the other airline working with the joint organisation, continues to provide regular flights to Bourke, Walgett and Lightning Ridge.
Last month Dubbo City Regional Airport reported that in April it had 389 passengers pass through the terminal, 832 in May, and 1634 in June. By comparison, during regular 'non COVID-19' operations, between 16,500 and 18,000 passengers transit through the airport each month, it reports.
It was estimated that for the month of July, about 3000 passengers had used the airport.