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In an alarming development for Queensland’s travel industry, the Greens have unveiled plans to impose flight restrictions and a curfew at Brisbane Airport. This move would end Brisbane’s exclusive Qatar service and decrease other flights annually by the thousands.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown, the Greens Aviation spokesperson and Brisbane MP, announced that the Bill detailing these changes is set for introduction in the upcoming parliament session.

The proposed flight caps would restrict arrivals and departures to a mere 45 per hour, a number even lower than when Brisbane only had a single runway in operation. The enforced curfew would also mean the withdrawal of many international services, significantly cutting the number of available seats from Brisbane each week.

Stephen Beckett, Head of Public Affairs at Brisbane Airport, expressed his concern: “At a time when the nation is debating affordable air travel access for Australians, it’s shocking that the Greens are aiming to reduce both international and regional Queensland services severely.” He further pointed out that with international airfares soaring, eliminating services from significant airlines operating post 10 pm would adversely affect Queensland’s residents.

Analysts project that introducing such caps and a curfew could cripple Queensland’s economy, losing 30,000 jobs by 2032 and draining $2.8 billion from its financial system. Reduced regional connectivity due to flight caps will disrupt the lives of many Queenslanders who rely on these services to visit family, holiday, conduct business, or seek specialized medical care.

A breakdown of the repercussions reveals:

International flights affected by the curfew include airlines such as Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Jetstar, and Emirates.
Flight caps will severely cut regional connectivity, with a projected loss of 3,100 flights annually by FY26.
The economic toll would reach an estimated $2.82 billion by FY31/32.
A potential job loss of 30,000 positions by FY31/32 across sectors like aviation, tourism, and logistics.
Escalation in ticket costs, making air travel inaccessible for many Queenslanders.
Disruption of overnight freight movements, jeopardizing timely delivery of essential goods.
A setback for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games’ tourism dividend due to decreased flights.
By the decade’s end, Brisbane Airport could be the main chokepoint in Australia’s aviation sector.

The Greens’ proposed changes may not offer the relief sought by communities. Instead, Brisbane Airport suggests that the real solution lies in redesigning flight paths and improving operations in consultation with the district.