Virgin Australia has announced key changes to its flight schedule for the summer 2025 in the northern parts of Australia that will see its Adelaide-Darwin route cut but boost traffic through the NT capital.
Seat capacity in the region will jump 6 per cent compared to the same time period last year, however the airline has come under fire for the cancellation of its Adelaide-Darwin route.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro branded the airline’s decision as ‘awful and unbelievable’.
“This is a big part of why we need to rebuild the economy,” she told ABC Radio Darwin. “We need to grow our population, we need more business happening here and these airlines need to be held accountable for what they’re doing to regional Australia.”
A Virgin Australia spokesperson acknowledged that the move may disappoint some passengers but assured that it allows for a reallocation of capacity to more popular routes.
To accommodate growing demand, Virgin Australia will enhance its services on the Brisbane-Darwin and Melbourne-Darwin routes, adding additional flights during the peak season from June to August 2025, the spokesperson said.
Passengers can expect up to two daily flights from Brisbane, up to nine services weekly from Melbourne, and between five to seven weekly services from Perth.
The airline’s overall capacity in the Northern Territory is projected to increase by approximately 3 per cent compared to the previous year’s summer season, spurred by the additional flights as well as the recent launch of services to Uluru.
Regulars on the Adelaide-Darwin route have until June 22 to make new arrangements before the suspension comes into place. Virgin will run two daily flights to Darwin from Brisbane, up nine per week from Melbourne and between five and seven from Perth.
For those looking to fly direct, Qantas and Jetstar both continue to serve the Adelaide-Darwin route.
