Mildura Rural City Council, Media Release, 2 October 2025

Statement from Mildura Rural City Council Chief Executive Officer Martin Hawson

We’ve received fresh assurances today from Qantas, Mildura Airport Chief Executive Officer Andrew Elliott and Chair Marcus Guthrie that the airline remains committed to Mildura for the long term.

I’ve been informed as recently as this morning that Qantas will actually expand services later this month. 

So to be clear, Qantas have confirmed with me there will be no impact to flights to and from Mildura as a result of the decision, which is reassuring for our community.

While any loss of talented staff is obviously disappointing, this is an operational decision by Qantas.

Our focus is to continue advocating strongly for even more flights to and from our region. This is vital for our community in terms of connectivity for local residents, as well as our region’s ongoing tourism and economic development.

Qantas have also confirmed the staff changes are limited specifically to pilots and cabin crew.

Statement from Mildura Airport Chief Executive Officer Andrew Elliott

Qantas has maintained open and transparent communication with the airport in relation to the crew base closure.

We wish to reassure the community that this decision will not impact scheduled flights to and from the region.

From late October, services will in fact increase, ensuring continued and enhanced connectivity for both residents and visitors.

We will continue to work closely with Qantas to further enhance flights, explore opportunities for new routes and support the ongoing growth and connectivity for our community.