'Our busiest day in months': Canberra Airport to reopen seven days a week

Canberra Airport will return to operating seven days a week from October 3 as demand for flights soars with the reopening of the Queensland and South Australian borders. Canberra Airport chief executive Stephen Byron said it signalled a restart for the aviation industry. "Our airline partners have responded quickly, and you will see the doubling of services to Brisbane by the end of the week, and for the first time Qantas will operate between Canberra and the Gold Coast with four flights a week," Mr Byron said. "We've already seen the positive effects on the businesses at the airport - there was a buzz in the airport terminal this morning, and it was our busiest Monday for months. "The café will be able to open longer hours and re-employ more staff, the taxi and Uber drivers will be able to pick up more fares, and we will all be reconnecting more families, friends and enabling more face-to-face business meetings." The airport suffered a 98 per cent downturn in passengers due to coronavirus travel restrictions. Airport bosses decided to close on Saturdays in an attempt to save money. MORE CANBERRA NEWS The airport is currently in discussions with several airlines not currently operating from Canberra. New domestic destinations are expected to come online in coming weeks. Canberrans are now permitted to fly to South Australia without having to quarantine for 14 days. Travellers must declare they have only been in low-community transition zones or transited through Sydney Airport without leaving the terminal. This excludes people living just outside the ACT border, unless they reside in the territory for the 14 days before their journey. Queensland will begin a similar policy from 1am, September 25. Travellers must apply for a Queensland Border General Declaration Pass before they enter the state by air only.