VIRGIN'S decision to leave Tamworth is still up in the air, according to New England MP Barnaby Joyce.
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The city was left off the airline's domestic flight schedule last week, prompting Mr Joyce to seek clarification from the airline regarding its future in Tamworth.
The move has prompted fears airfares for locals may rise due to a lack of options for travellers.
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"I had a meeting with Virgin today [Friday] and they told me they hadn't made a final decision on whether they will fly to Tamworth again or not," Mr Joyce told the Leader.
"They're trying to work out an alternative arrangement with Alliance Airlines to do the work they were doing because they are reducing their fleet away from propeller aircraft to jets.
"I told them 737 and 767 planes can land in Tamworth and that we would continue on with these meetings, so a final decision hasn't been made."
Mr Joyce said he would be disappointed if the company decided to permanently leave Tamworth.
"I clearly expressed to them I lobbied to support their bid on the premise it supported regional areas and to me that means flights to Tamworth," he said.
"I told them we wanted a second airline to compete with Qantas and that if someone had told me they had no intentions of having regional flights I would have had no intentions of supporting their bid.
"Regional to me doesn't mean Newcastle, it means Tamworth and Armidale and places like that.
"I will continue to meet with Virgin regularly going forward and we will work on a outcome that can see Tamworth continue to have a second carrier."
Mr Joyce's meeting with the airline comes after Rex showed interest in filling the void should Virgin walk away from Tamworth.
"Tamworth was one a home for East West Airlines and it has a history of finding alternatives," Mr Joyce said.
"I think the really important thing is ensuring we have those slots to land in Sydney.
"If we don't have those slots no airline is going to be viable if you can't land in Sydney and I think that's the big issue I will be pursing with the federal minister in any case."