The Cairns Post, the Cairns daily newspaper, is predicting 2012 will continue to see growth in traffic through Cairns Airport. There will be a continuing increase in traffic to Papua New Guinea, driven by the resources sector as well as a push for a new air link to Singapore. This all comes on top of the airport operator annoucing a 8.2% growth in passenger numbers for 2011.
Nick Dalton , the Cairns Post Business Editor, in an article published 27 December 2011 reported the PNG resources boom is driving a growth in flights from Cairns from PNG. The number has jumped from 23 to 37 return flights a week with the PNG carrier Airlines PNG leading the way. Airlines PNG has boosted its flights from one a week to Port Moresby to 15 throughout PNG servicing Lihir Island and Mt Hagen in addition to Port Moresby.
Seat capacity has increased by 30% from 1852 to 2400 a week. In addition to Airlines PNG, Air Nuigini offer 10 flights a week and Qantaslink provide a further 12 a week.
In the 29 December 2011 edition of the Cairns Post it is reported that Cairns Airport and Tourism Tropical North Queensland are in a joint push to establish a new air link to Singapore to boost tourism numbers. They wish to tap into SilkAir's proposed direct flights between Darwin and Singapore commencing March 2012. It is hoped that SilkAir codeshare partner Virgin Australia will provide connecting flights between Cairns and Darwin. Currently Virgin Australia does not provide a service between Darwin and Cairns. If the new service goes ahead tourism authorities expect a growth in numbers from the United Kingdom, other European countries, India and China.
pdf Boom Drives PNG Flights for Cairns Post article
pdf Cairns Singapore Link Beckons for Cairns Post article
http://www.cairnsairport.com/ for more information on Cairns Airport