Virgin Australia has launched flights to Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) in the Northern Territory, from Melbourne Airport (MEL) and Brisbane Airport (BNE).
Flights from Melbourne commenced on June 6, 2024, and flights from Brisbane will begin on June 7, 2024.
Ayers Rock Airport is the gateway to Uluru, or Ayers Rock, the massive sandstone monolith formation known as the landmark destination in the Northern Territory state.
Uluru is thought to have started its formation 550 million years ago and is considered a sacred site to Indigenous Australians.
The flights were launched in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia (operators of Ayers Rock Resort, Uluru), and is believed to inject more than 62,000 seats per year, adding to Australia’s AUD 6 billion ($3.99 billion) Indigenous tourism economy.
According to Virgin Australia, the increased tourism will also benefit Indigenous employment and training at Ayers Rock Resort, where over 30% of the workforce identifies as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander.
The flights use Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 aircraft, with up to 182 seats per flight in a three-class configuration (Business Class, Economy X, and Economy).
“Uluru is an incredibly important destination for Virgin Australia as one of the most iconic cultural landmarks in this country and a much-loved place for holiday makers to visit from all over the world,” Jayne Hrdlicka, CEO of Virgin Australia said in a statement. “We are proud to be connecting Australians to Uluru as part of our ongoing mission to provide more value and choice to travelers.”
Meanwhile, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia CEO Matt Cameron-Smith described Virgin Australia’s flights to Uluru as a “landmark moment” that underscores the appeal of the Red Center.
“We’re excited to have even more visitors experience the wonders of Uluṟu, along with culturally-immersive experiences like Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wiṟu, through Virgin Australia’s extensive network,” Cameron-Smith said.