From February 2021, the airline will offer three weekly return flights between Melbourne and Busselton with over 1,000 weekly seats on the route. The route was originally planned to launch in March 2020 but was postponed due to border closures.
On Tuesday (December 8, 2020), Jetstar announced the launch of three weekly direct return flights between Melbourne and Busselton in the Margaret River Region from February 1st, 2021. The route was originally planned to launch in March 2020 but was delayed due to border closures. Jetstar will offer over 1,000 weekly seats on the route which is expected to bring more than 60,000 visitors to the Margaret River Region over the next three years, with an expected contribution of over $40 million to the Western Australia economy. In Tuesday’s announcement, Jetstar Group’s CEO, Gareth Evans, said,
“After a long period of border closures, we’re pleased to confirm the new start date for the route which will offer the only direct flights linking the east coast to the Margaret River region. In recent weeks, we’ve seen firsthand the huge appetite Victorians have for travel after what has been a tough year, and we expect demand for these flights will be strong. Margaret River is renowned for its food, natural beauty and surf beaches and offers a great variety of experiences for travellers looking to explore more of Australia in 2021. It’s also great news for Western Australian tourism, with the new service predicted to provide a huge boost in visitor numbers at a time when local operators need it most.”
Also commenting on the route launch, the City of Busselton’s Mayor, Grand Henley added,
“The commencement of Jetstar flights from Melbourne is fantastic news. We’re optimistic that with the tight health regimes in place, the service will be extremely popular. It’s been a long time between holidays for many Australians and I can’t recommend a more beautiful destination than the South West corner of Western Australia. We’re ready and eager to welcome inter-state travelers.”
The route announcement follows the decision by the Western Australian government to reopen its border to Victoria and New South Wales travelers from December 8, 2020. The services will be supported through a partnership with the Federal and Western Australian governments as well as the City of Busselton.
Source: Jetstar