PASSENGER numbers at Mount Gambier Regional Airport have continued to soar with new figures showing a significant jump in patronage.
The news comes as construction works on the proposed $4.2m terminal are about to begin following the contract being awarded last week.
Data released yesterday by Grant District Council reveals more than 22,300 people boarded or departed a Regional Express (Rex) flight between July and September this year.
This represents a 11pc increase compared with the previous year.
Acting chief executive Jane Fetherstonhaugh said yesterday she was pleased by the numbers given it demonstrated solid growth at the commercial airfield.
“In particular, council is impressed by the number of people taking up the community fare option that was introduced in October 2018,” Ms Fetherstonhaugh said.
More than 5000 passengers between July and September this year travelled on the community fare scheme.
“That represents 23pc of travellers and indicates the community fare scheme is making a difference and supporting air travel to be more affordable and accessible for our region,” the council executive said.
A five year partnership was brokered between council and Rex last year, which resulted in council reducing the head tax by $2 per person.
This move was matched by Rex resulting in an overall $4 reduction in all existing fares and paving the way for the community fare scheme to be introduced.
The community fare is available on 25pc of total seats for sales outside 30 days before departure and unsold seats 24 hours before the flight.
In other airport news, elected members have moved to scale down the number of members on the project control group that oversees the multi-million dollar airport upgrade.
The control group was mooted to have all members of the Mount Gambier Regional Airport Strategy Committee, but council has reduced this number to make the structure a more “workable arrangement”.
The airport strategy committee is a much larger group, consisting of 11 members including a Regional Express representative.
“While the decision to include members of the Mount Gambier Regional Airport Strategy Committee as part of the project control group may have been well intended, it does not align with the intention of the proposed structure in the funding deed to provide a high level review of advice provided by the project working group,” a council report said.
“The large size of the group has presented difficulties in coordinating suitable meeting dates at which all members are able to attend.”
The airport control group will now consist of Grant District Mayor Richard Sage, newly-appointed council chief executive officer Darryl Whicker, airport manager Ian Fritsch, Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department representative James Macdonald and Mount Gambier City Council delegate Ben Hood.
At this week’s meeting, Cr Brad Mann questioned whether Regional Express would be comfortable not being on this control group.
In response, Ms Fetherstonhaugh said Rex was aware of the decision but would remain on the strategy committee.
The terminal project is part of a $9.2m sweeping development of the commercial airfield, which includes runway, apron and lighting works.
