The Regional Capital Australia (RCA) and the Australian Airports Association (AAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to advocate for fairer airfares, stronger connectivity, and more sustainable airports across regional Australia.
With a Productivity Commission inquiry and a Senate inquiry both examining the future of regional aviation, 2026 is poised to be a pivotal year for regional air services.
RCA chair and Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council Cr Josh Black said the focus of these inquiries provided a once-in-a-decade opportunity to put regional communities front and centre in a national conversation about more equitable aviation.
“Regional airports are the lifeblood of regional communities – critical to health, education, tourism, trade and disaster response and resilience,” Black said. “Yet the financial viability of regional airports is constantly under threat, with sustainability often propped up by local government rates rather than state of federal funding sources.
“Regional communities are paying not only higher average airfares but also for the costs of keeping airports open through their local rates.
“Decisions made this year will likely shape the next decade, determining whether regional air services become more reliable, more equitable and more future-ready – or whether the current fragile state continues.”
AAA chief executive officer Simon Westaway said the MOU formalises a shared commitment to evidence-based advocacy at a critical moment for regional aviation.
“Regional airports are critical national infrastructure, but many are operating under intense financial pressure,” Westaway said. “This MOU recognises that airports and the communities they serve are facing the same structural challenges – including high regulatory costs, ageing infrastructure and limited access to sustainable funding.
“By working closely with Regional Capitals Australia, we can bring together airport-level evidence and regional community impacts to make a stronger, more credible case to government at a time when major policy decisions are being made.”
The MOU builds on a jointly commissioned Regional Airports Survey, led by the Australian Airports Association in partnership with Regional Capitals Australia, which will be distributed to participating regional airports this week.
Westaway said the federal inquiries provide a rare opportunity to take a system-wide view of regional aviation.
“If we want affordable, reliable air services for regional Australia, we need to ensure airports are financially viable and appropriately supported to deliver the services communities rely on,” Westaway added.
The MoU sees RCA work with AAA on opportunities to identify and progress shared research, policy and advocacy priorities.
“This year’s federal inquiries will be critical to deeply understanding not only these factors, but the enabling role airports and fair fares play in terms of liveability, service delivery, jobs and skills and resilience of our regions,” Black added.
“We need a strong voice to ensure the viability of regional aviation so that the millions of Australians living beyond the state capitals, both today and those in the future, have equitable access to air travel and the liveability it enables.”
RCA and the AAA continue to highlight to government the need to:
- take further action to secure the ongoing viability of regional aviation routes;
- establish recurrent federal funding for both capital and operational security costs of regional airports; and
- resolve inequitable security requirements that impose city-level costs on low-risk regional airports.
