VINCENT Aviation successfully completed its much-anticipated first flights on the Narrabri to Sydney route on Friday morning.
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The Darwin-based airline’s 34-seat Saab 340 touched down on time at Narrabri Airport to signal the return of air services to the town. Transport for NSW this week granted the carrier an interim licence until March 21 to fly on the route vacated by Brindabella Airlines.
Hopeful of establishing itself in the predicted growth market, the airline has applied for an exclusive four-year licence to operate the route.
Company CEO Murray Collings said it was “exciting to be up and running and able to show the people of Narrabri what we can do”.
“We had some good numbers on the flights today but there is room for improvement and we understand that we have to build the confidence of the public up before they start travelling with us,” he said.
Mr Collings said he did not believe a two-day delay in the service commencing, which left ticketholders needing to make alternative arrangements, had hurt the airline’s reputation.
“No, not at all,” he said. “I spent the morning going around a few potential clients and speaking to some of the public here in Narrabri and it didn’t do any damage. I think most people understood we had some quite ambitious plans to get operating as soon as possible and it was just a little hiccup along the way.”