VIRGIN Australia has flown into action after Friday's Queensland border change announcement, doubling its services out of Newcastle within weeks.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The airline, which had scaled back its services from Williamtown due to COVID-19, said it would begin flying six times per week rather than three starting from November 9.
"Our decision to reintroduce Queensland services which were suspended as part of our response to COVID19 is heavily reliant on the greater Sydney region reopening to Queensland," a Virgin spokesman said.
"Virgin Australia will continue to monitor border restrictions and make any changes to our network as travel restrictions ease."
The announcement comes just hours after the announcement that Hunter residents will be able to visit Queensland from Tuesday next week.
The change, made on the eve of Queensland's impending state election, means that NSW's regional and rural residents will be able to enjoy the warmer weather north of the border from November 3.
Sydney residents are still restricted from entering the northern state.
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young said continuing cases without identifiable sources in southwestern Sydney meant that there were carriers in the community NSW health authorities were yet to find.
She said that visitors from outside Sydney could still depart to Queensland via the state capital's airport, but would need to travel to the aviation hub without stopping in the greater metropolitan area.