Lord Howe Island and Moree air licences awarded

Published

The NSW Government has announced that licences have been issued to airline operators to provide flights from Sydney to Lord Howe Island and Sydney to Moree.

These two routes are the only regulated routes in NSW that require licences under the Air Transport Act (NSW) 1964.

As part of its role in overseeing these licences, Transport for NSW conducted an open market process well ahead of the expiry of the current licences.

Under the new licences, commencing 30 March 2025:

  • QantasLink will continue to hold the licence to operate the Sydney to Moree route until March 2030.
  • QantasLink will have a licence for the Sydney to Lord Howe Island until 25 February 2026 and during this time it will start to share operations as part of a transition to Queensland based regional airline Skytrans.
  • Once the transition to Skytrans has been completed, it will be the sole licensee and will operate the Sydney to Lord Howe Island route until March 2030.

In accordance with the Air Transport Act (NSW) 1964, factors that Transport considered in granting the licences include the needs of the public, economic development and the environment, as well as an applicant’s character and suitability to hold the licence and their rights to operate aircraft.

For Lord Howe Island, a detailed transition plan will also be required as the baton is passed from QantasLink to Skytrans, which has a long history with the route, having had the licence since 1991.

Qantas also operated flying boats there between 1947 and 1951.

The timing of the transition from one carrier to another is to be determined in consultation with the Lord Howe Island Board on behalf of the Lord Howe Island community.

Once Skytrans formally takes over the Sydney to Lord Howe Island route, it will operate it on a codeshare basis with QantasLink - a common arrangement in the airline industry, where customers can book a seat on one airline but fly on a plane operated by another carrier.

In Moree, QantasLink has been operating the route for most of the past 30 years.

Read the full media release here (PDF, 131.48 KB)

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