AAA: 'Regional airports are very much at a disadvantage with negotiations with airlines'

Australian Airports Association (AAA) CEO Caroline Wilkie, speaking at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit, noted (01-Aug-2017) that "regional airports are very much at a disadvantage with negotiations with airlines". Ms Wilkie also noted the challenges on relying on airlines' commitments to air services, stating that for airlines, if a route "works it works, if it doesn't, they are gone". She noted that many regional airports have suffered from developing infrastructure and support services for airlines, who have subsequently withdrawn from the market, prompting her to question "how much you can rely on a guarantee for airlines" in terms of network presence.