Regional Express has announced it will increase weekday return services between Wagga and Sydney by 67 per cent in a show of confidence in the region's recovery from COVID-19.
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The airline informed the Australian Stock Exchange yesterday that it would ramp up services to Sydney in a number of key markets, including Wagga, Griffith and Albury, from July 4.
The announcement comes just weeks after Rex revealed it was withdrawing from a number of marginal routes, such as Albury to Melbourne which had operated for 39 years.
The extra flights to and from Sydney have been welcomed by Wagga residents who make regular use of the service.
Freelance filmmaker Dan Brunskill is based in Sydney, but having grown up in Wagga and with regular family visits to the region, still considers himself a Wagga local.
"Wherever my work takes me, the easiest way is to fly there," he said. "I think variety is a major win to consumers - they're putting the Wagga community first and we're being given the best variety that they've got on offer.
"But whether that can survive is definitely the big question mark with competing airlines coming in and out of Wagga."
Mr Brunskill said an expansion of any route is a plus for the Wagga community.
"Since the Brisbane flights have been coming to Wagga, I've noticed an increase in people you don't usually see, which is really great because it's people exploring, getting out and about and discovering NSW," he said.
Wagga Business Chamber director and Riverina Cardiology human resources manager Megan Lawrence regularly uses and helps organise flights on the Wagga-Sydney route.
She said the biggest benefit of the extra flights would be flexibility of scheduling. "One of the challenges previously ... was the limited flight options in and out of Wagga," she said.
"But having a more flexible schedule with increased services will hopefully resolve some of the restrictions that were put on flight services throughout COVID.
"Organisations will be able to arrange their travel to allow enough time to do what they need to do in Sydney without requiring overnight accommodation, additional costs, or without extended waits on the other end for a return flight."
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Wagga mayor Dallas Tout described the announcement as "fantastic news".
"I think it's a vote of confidence by Rex in the city itself and the growth in the city and what's happening here with the developments that are coming online," he said.
"As far as the city of Wagga is concerned, we always had confidence in that relationship."
Deputy mayor Jenny McKinnon said the investment in the key route was a positive recognition of Wagga's current offerings.
"From my point of view, what Rex has done is a real endorsement of Wagga in the way that we are progressing and the way that we're growing," she said.
Rex said the increase meant it would be operating more flights across its regional network than before the pandemic.
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