Video of the week: Keeping regional Australia connected – the fight for viable growth

Regional connectivity is becoming an increasingly important test of Australia's aviation system.

Demand for domestic tourism is creating new opportunities for smaller destinations, while travellers are showing greater interest in experiences beyond the country's major cities.

Yet connecting regional communities to these opportunities is becoming more difficult as airlines confront higher fuel, labour and infrastructure costs.

For regional airports, attracting sustainable air services can deliver benefits far beyond passenger numbers, supporting tourism, employment and local economic development.

For airlines, however, thinner demand and higher operating costs can make regional routes difficult to sustain without sufficient scale, partnerships or public support.

The challenge is therefore not simply how to add more flights, but how to build a regional aviation network that is affordable, reliable and economically sustainable.

This session from the CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Australia Pacific in Adelaide in Jul-2026 explores the changing dynamics of regional connectivity across Australia and the Pacific, and asks whether airlines, airports and governments can work together to ensure that geography does not become a barrier to opportunity.