Another sign of confidence: Cr Jack Evans delighted by Orange Airport numbers

According to the latest figures presented to Orange City Council's Infrastructure Policy Committee, 8240 passengers used the airport, with the previous record set pre-COVID-19 in October 2019 when 8071 passengers were recorded.

Infrastructure Policy Committee chair Cr Jack Evans agreed the May figure suggested Orange was continuing to make a healthy recovery following the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.

"I'd say it's performing better than normal, from what I understand the passenger numbers are above what they were pre-COVID so it's nothing but a sign of confidence," he said.

By comparison 6936 passengers used the airport in May 2021. May 2020 was a write off with COVID biting heavily.

Three airlines, Regional Express (Rex), Link Airways and QantasLink use the airport with flight and passengers numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Rex confirmed that stance last month when it announced its Orange service was returning to pre-pandemic levels from July 4, as were several of its other routes.

At the time, General Manager of Network Strategy Warrick Lodge said Rex was responding to the regional centres' rate of recovery after the pandemic.

"Rex is dedicating considerable resources to meet this demand," Mr Lodge said.

"These improved schedules will see us operating more flights on our regional network than pre-COVID and mark a significant turning point for the airline as we return to profitability."

Passenger numbers have been on a steady rise with around 6800 passengers using the airport in April this year while in March, around 7500 people went through the facility. Figures are not yet available for June 2022.

Cr Evans said the numbers were food for thought.

"What I would like to see down the track, is hopefully this will encourage other airlines from other destination airports to consider looking at us so that we can be accessible too and from other places and major centres," he said.

"But that's obviously a private business decision but I think Council would always be open to ways to make that possible."

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