Regional NSW to lose with no new slots to Sydney airport

"Travellers to and from towns and cities across regional New South Wales will face reduced flight access to Sydney without urgent action to relax movement restrictions at Sydney Airport, the General Manager of the Tourism Industry Council NSW, Andrew Jefferies has said.

"The current restrictions, capping landings and takeoffs to just 80 movements an hour unfairly burden residents and tourists seeking to fly to regional New South Wales", Mr Jefferies said.

"Whilst Sydney Airport's movements contain a so called regional ring fence that guarantees access for intrastate New South Wales flights, there remains a lack of unallocated, protected slots for regional flights in peak periods where the cap is reached, meaning no new intrastate services can be operated at the busiest times of the day when people need to travel. The lack of new frequencies for flights to and from regional New South Wales is a poor outcome for tourism and poor for many local economies across the state", Mr Jefferies said.

"The Tourism Industry Council NSW reiterates its position that the first step in granting greater air access to the Sydney region starts with relaxing the movement cap at Sydney Airport. Sydney Airport still has room for growth and has a natural capacity of around 90 movements per hour".

"Freeing up flights to Sydney Airport will enable greater efficiency for this significant asset and allow Government to plan well ahead for future airport arrangements".

"We call upon the Federal Minister for Transport, Anthony Albanese, to immediately amend the Sydney Demand Management Act 1997 in the House of Representatives to enable greater access for regional operators to deliver growth opportunities for towns and cities across New South Wales".