REGIONAL airlines struggling to stay in the air during the coronavirus crisis have been thrown a lifeline by the federal government today.
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It comes after Regional Express airlines was forced to cancel all of its Wagga flights - as well as other domestic travel across Australia - starting from April 6 onwards.
Riverina MP Michael McCormack announced almost $200 million for a Regional Air Network Assistance Package that will subsidise 138 regional communities relying on the aviation sector.
An additional $100 million was also made available to provide smaller regional airlines direct financial support.
"Regional aviation has been smashed by COVID-19," Mr McCormack said.
He said regional centres such as Wagga need air services to connect them to freight, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals during this tough times.
"We want (regional airlines) to keep their doors open, keep people employed, keep the cash flow happening and keep Australia safe and secure through this crisis," he said.
"It is doing it very, very tough and that is why the federal government will step up as part of a more than a billion dollar package for aviation."
The federal government announced a $715 million package for larger airlines almost a fortnight ago, boosting the support for the aviation sector to more than a billion dollars.
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However, the latest financial assistance for airlines has been criticised by Transport Workers' Union national secretary Michael Kaine. He said it continues to ignore the aviation companies that services airlines and the workers being stood down.
"The federal government continues to operate a trickle-down system in aviation by throwing public money at airlines without ensuring a return for taxpayers or the workers in those airlines," he said.
"It is ignoring the many aviation ground services companies which allow airlines to operate and it ignores the thousands of workers being forced to bear the brunt of the crisis by having to take accrued leave, future leave and unpaid leave."
Before any public money is handed over the airlines, Mr Kaine said the companies must agree to pay back the leave workers had been forced to take during this crisis.
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