In response to ongoing freight pressures, the Australian Government is scheduling a number of additional air freight flights.
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications has worked with TOLL to increase additional flights. The current schedule of TOLL flights for the next month is as follows:
28 February
6 March
13 March
13 March (note, two separate flights on 13 March)
20 March
27 March
Some earlier flights are full, however, there is capacity from 13 March inclusive. The Department of Infrastructure is also adding additional flights in April, May and June to the existing schedule.
Members of the community who want to import freight need to get in touch with the freight forwarders early. If urgency is more important than price, a freight forwarder can book the freight on the first available flight. That could be an Air New Zealand passenger flight or a dedicated freight flight. Additional freight flights can also be arranged by businesses or individuals at the full commercial cost.
I appreciate the difficulties presented when it is cost prohibitive to businesses to utilise the freight flights for those heavy and bulky goods that would ordinarily arrive as sea freight. I thank those of you in the community who have engaged in broader discussions around current freight issues.
I understand the current concerns about the reduced availability of sea freight and assure the community that myself, the Norfolk Island Regional Council and the Sea Freight Working Group continue to explore a range of potential options relating to sea freight beyond the next six to eight weeks.
My office will continue to keep the community informed. In the interim, please contact the Office of the Administrator by email: office.administrator@infrastructure.gov.au if you wish to discuss further.
Eric Hutchinson
Administrator of Norfolk Island
27 February 2020