The Australian government has settled new air services arrangements with Greece, Cyprus, and Italy, providing exciting opportunities for strengthening the country’s trade and tourism ties with Europe.
The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester, said that the new arrangements are part of a plan to expand Australia’s aviation footprint in the region and will provide greater flexibility for Australian and Greek airlines.
“The expanded arrangements with Greece deepen the already close bilateral relationship we share.
“Each country’s airlines will now be able to operate an unlimited number of freight services between Australia and Greece,” Mr Chester said.
The arrangements with Cyprus will also be an opportunity to increase tourism and trade opportunities, and for the first time this enables the airlines of both countries to start operating services between Australia and Cyprus either using their own aircraft or via code share with other airlines.
Meanwhile Mr Chester said that the trade and tourism benefits with Italy are obvious with more than half a million people travelling between Australian and Italy in 2016, a number that is on the rise.
“In settling revised air services arrangements with Italy, the Australian Government has delivered on an outcome long sought by the Australian aviation industry,” said the minister.
“Australian airlines now have the ability to significantly expand existing code share operations to Italy, as well as an opportunity to start weekly freight services between the two countries.”
Over the past 12 months, a number of other new air services arrangements have been established by Australia, most notably with China, Taiwan, Israel, Peru, Fiji, and Kiribati.