Canberra Airport to host CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific in 2027
CAPA - Centre for Aviation announced (29-Jul-2026) the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific will take place in Canberra in Jun-2027. The event will be hosted by Canberra Airport. The two-day event will bring together senior airline executives, airport leaders, policymakers and industry stakeholders to discuss the future of air transport across the Australia-Pacific region. Canberra Airport handled more than 2.7 million passengers in 2025 and is positioned for growth as new and returning services lift connectivity. The airport's international links are strengthening with Virgin Australia's new Bali service and Qatar Airways resuming Doha service from Sep-2026. Domestic connectivity is also expanding with QantasLink restarting Hobart service from Oct-2026 and Link Airways launching Launceston service. [more - Press Release] [more - CAPA Events]
Background ✨
Virgin Australia planned to launch three times weekly seasonal Canberra–Bali from 22-Jun-2026 with 737-800s, with CEO Dave Emerson calling it the first time it operated international services from the capital.1 Canberra Airport CEO Stephen Byron previously said Qatar Airways’ return would restore access to more than 170 destinations and improve competition.2 Canberra Airport head of aviation Michael Thomson said it held a five-year route development plan and was in talks with Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific.3