Video of the week: From route attraction to route success in Australia's skies

Australia's international aviation market is entering a new phase as demand for inbound and outbound travel grows and passengers increasingly value direct connections.

For airlines, this creates opportunities to open new markets and increase frequencies, but launching a route remains a significant commercial commitment.

For airports and destinations, the challenge is therefore moving beyond simply offering a runway and an attractive catchment. New international services often require a broader proposition combining passenger demand, tourism potential, commercial partnerships and confidence that the market can mature.

Targeted incentives can help bridge the gap, particularly when airports work with governments, tourism organisations and local businesses to share risk and build awareness. But incentives alone cannot turn an inherently weak route into a sustainable one.

This session from the CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Australia & Pacific in Adelaide in Jul-2026 examines how Australia can strengthen its international competitiveness by treating market access as a shared responsibility - and why the most successful destinations will be those that help airlines build demand, rather than simply asking them to create it.