Cathay Cargo Swaps Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport for Brisbane

Cathay Cargo will end its weekly B747-8 freighter flight to Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport (WTB) in mid-June. Instead, it will begin servicing Brisbane Airport (BNE). Cathay Cargo said a decision to “streamline operations after a thorough review of processes” was behind the move.

It was a major coup when Wellcamp secured the weekly freighter flights in 2016. They proved a hit with local agricultural exporters, who suddenly had a direct route into China and its massive market. Around 70% of what is grown around Toowoomba, a major food bowl, is exported.

The owner of Wellcamp Airport, John Wagner, told The Australian newspaper that he believed the change was due to the Albanese government’s “anti-regional Australia” policies. He said October 2024 changes to bilateral air services agreements favoured major airports at the expense of the regions.

Among other things, the changes gave airlines operating freight services unrestricted capacity to any Australian airport.

Cathay Pacific Southwest Pacific Regional General Manager Frosti Lau said he hoped Cathay Cargo would return to Wellcamp in the future. However, he said the cargo carrier was “excited to be bringing Brisbane into (the) weekly freighter operation.”

Cathay Cargo’s weekly freighter flight into Australia operates a Hong Kong (HKG) – Sydney (SYD) – Melbourne (MEL) – Toowoomba -Hong Kong rotation. Effective June 17, that will switch to Hong Kong – Sydney – Melbourne – Brisbane – Hong Kong.

Brisbane Airport Executive General Manager of Aviation, Ryan Both, said the Brisbane stopover would provide “exporters with unparalleled access to global markets to deliver Queensland beef, seafood, and high-value goods such as pharmaceuticals and manufactured products directly to Asia and beyond.”

The weekly Cathay Cargo freighter service will arrive in Brisbane every Tuesday evening at 19:10, quickly load up, and depart at 20:40. The Hong Kong-bound service, able to carry up to 135 tonnes of freight, will continue to operate as CX2022.

Photo: Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport