Fly Corporate is expanding its regular public transport (RPT) network to Sydney with flights between the NSW capital and Narrabri due to kick off in September.
The regional carrier plans to serve the route daily, with a morning departure from Narribri and a late morning takeoff from Sydney.
The airline has been flying to Narrabri since August 2016 via a Brisbane-Narrabri-Moree-Brisbane routing. That service will become nonstop in both directions between Brisbane and Narrabri once the Sydney flights get underway.
Separately, Fly Corporate will start a new service between Brisbane and Inverell, which will operate as Brisbane-Inverell-Moree-Brisbane, ensuring Moree maintains its air services to the Queensland capital.
Fly Corporate chief executive Andrew Major said the airline had been eyeing flights to Sydney for some time.
“As we have worked with the Narrabri Shire Council and the greater Namoi community to grow the Brisbane service, we have always been conscious of Narrabri’s need for a service to Sydney,” Major said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Having recently been able to secure suitable slots at Sydney Airport, we are now able to achieve this goal.
“The close working relationship with Council, local business and the wider community has given us confidence that a direct Sydney service is viable and will be well supported.”
Major said the decision to launch flights to Inverell was made after discussions with the local council, Inverell Airservice Working Group (IASWG) and business community.
“We have been very impressed with the strong business case that the IASWG and the Council have presented to us to establish the service,” Major said.
“This representation and support, along with our own research gives us the confidence that there is a need and a market for scheduled flights from Inverell to Brisbane.”
Canberra-based charter operator Corporate Air, which has been in operation since 1972, moved into the RPT market in April 2016 with a fleet of Saab 340Bs and Metro 23 turboprops, establishing Fly Corporate and launching Brisbane-Coffs Harbour as its inaugural route.
