Jetstar has scrapped its daily return flight between Newcastle and Coolangatta and more than halved its Brisbane and Melbourne flights as part of deep cuts to its domestic operations.

Details of Jetstar's cuts emerged on Thursday after Qantas confirmed it would slash the frequency of QantasLink flights on the Newcastle and Brisbane route from 22 per week to only 12 from March 29.

Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock said the airlines' cuts were a blow and the airport business would be required to tighten its belt but he was adamant no jobs would be lost from the 70-odd staff employed.

"We're a very robust business and we're going to come through this," he said.

"It will be tough inside our business and for our contractors who work at the airport, no doubt, but we're getting on now and reducing costs as best we can.

"It's a measured response. Our plan is retain our staff as we know now because we will need to continue to operate and when we come out of it, we'll need good people."

Jetstar will reduce the number of return flights on its Newcastle and Melbourne route from 25 to only seven per week and the Newcastle and Brisbane route from 16 to seven per week.

"Those major cities are still being served and with a daily frequency, which is really pleasing," Dr Cock said.

"It's really important to get the message out there that we're open for business.

"We are going to continue to be open for business and domestic flying is still safe."

Dr Cock said FlyPelican was still working through what changes it would make, as was Regional Express which said on Wednesday it would make "brutal" cuts to its network across the country's south-east.

Regional Express operates multiple daily flights between Newcastle and Sydney but has foreshadowed the route will likely be reduced in frequency.

Virgin Australia is yet to announce cuts to its Newcastle flights, despite saying it would reduce its domestic capacity by 50 per cent.

The company is scheduled to operate three return flights between Newcastle and Brisbane, and two return flights between Newcastle and Melbourne, on Friday.

Qantas announced the majority of its 30,000 staff would be forced to take leave on Thursday morning, but it is not clear if airline staff who work at Newcastle Airport, like check-in clerks, will be impacted by the flight cuts.

Jetstar also has a maintenance facility at the airport. Both Qantas and Jetstar were contacted for comment.