Moruya Airport manager Sheldon Jones says passenger numbers made a post-COVID recovery and have stayed steady ever since. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Passenger numbers at Moruya Airport have bounced back, with upgrades to the facility on the horizon.
Eurobodalla Shire Council’s (ESC) airport manager Sheldon Jones said passenger numbers peaked at 22,000 in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic, before dropping to 6000.
“Passenger numbers have now returned over 20,000 and have stayed steady despite the economic hardships everyone is facing,” he said.
“We predict passenger numbers to steadily grow over the next few years as more people opt for air travel over road trips, and with airlines providing more attractive pricing options.”
Regional Express Airlines (also known as Rex) operates regular flights to Sydney and Merimbula from Moruya Airport.
“The service is well used and as passenger numbers rise, Rex is likely to increase the frequency of flights or bring in larger planes,” Mr Jones said.
He said passenger numbers were expected to eventually outgrow the existing terminal, which currently seats 42 people.
Council is carrying out an upgrade to the airport, with plans to improve the aircraft parking and expand the commercial and tourism hangar spaces.
The runway was rebuilt in 2019 and is ready to cater for larger planes, however, Mr Jones said surrounding airport infrastructure would require upgrades.
“The terminal, hangar lots and taxiways need to be expanded to fully unlock the airport’s potential and manage increased passenger traffic efficiently,” Mr Jones said.
Moruya Airport is set to receive improvements. Photo: Kim Treasure.
Eleven new hangar sites were also recently built for aviation businesses, with plans for more to be included in the master plan.
“Having more hangars creates demand for specialists to establish businesses, increases local employment, and boosts business within our shire,” Mr Jones said.
“We have people hangaring their planes, using them for training, maintenance, sales, or servicing.”
The upgrade is expected to be finished by June 2025, according to the council’s website.
“We’re planning for future need – designing a new passenger terminal on the western side of the airport, which we’ll soon hold more public meetings for community input,” Mr Jones said.
“An airport master plan outlining the airport’s development phases will be presented to council in the upcoming year.”
Mr Jones said Moruya Airport gave workers and businesses easy access to the South Coast and to places further afield.
“With the new hospital and ongoing developments in our shire, the service is great for fly-in fly-out opportunities,” he said.
The airport upgrade has secured $9.73m, including $7.11m in government grants and $2.62m from council, since 2017.
Further information on the planned Moruya Airport upgrades is available on council’s website.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on About Regional.
