Last financial year the nation's airports and airlines were busier than ever, with an unprecedented number of people flying domestically (51.76 million; up 3 per cent) as well as into and out of Australia (25.6 million; up 9.1 per cent).

In 2009-10 the fastest growing domestic routes were:

  • Adelaide to the Gold Coast - up 19.4 per cent;
  • Cairns to Townsville - up 14.2 per cent;
  • Port Macquarie to Sydney - up 12.6 per cent;
  • Melbourne to Sydney - up 12.2 per cent;
  • Adelaide to Sydney - up 10.9 per cent.

Internationally, the biggest growth occurred on routes between:

  • Abu Dhabi to Melbourne - up 350 per cent;
  • Denpasar to Perth - up 96 per cent;
  • Auckland to the Gold Coast - up 87 per cent;
  • Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast - up 58 per cent;
  • Los Angeles to Sydney - up 54 per cent.

A full copy of the latest aviation statistics can be downloaded from: www.bitre.gov.au .

Copy of press release at

http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/aa/releases/2010/October/AA462_2010.htm