Launceston Airport is bracing for its busiest day in history as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the city for Foo Fighters’ sold-out stadium show.
Bus operator Kinetic will run a temporary SkyBus ‘Launceston Express’ service from January 22 to 26, providing airport-to-CBD transfers for concertgoers.
The five-day service will meet all arriving flights and transport passengers to the CBD via stops at Launceston General Hospital and the Regional Transit Centre.
Fares are $22 one-way or $40 return.
Kinetic Tasmania general manager Andrew Grzinic said the service would give fans a stress-free transport option.
“This is the biggest concert Launceston has ever hosted and we wanted to make sure fans have a reliable transport option to and from the airport,” he said.
The Foo Fighters will play their only Australian show in more than two years at UTAS Stadium on January 24 – their first performance in Tasmania since 2015 and first-ever Launceston gig.
The 24,000-capacity venue sold out within minutes.
Airlines have scrambled to add capacity, with Virgin Australia putting on 1,700 extra seats and Qantas and Jetstar adding 3,000 more through additional flights and larger aircraft.
January 23 is now expected to be the airport’s busiest day ever, with more than 6,700 passengers forecast.
The airport is expecting a record summer overall, with more than 250,000 passengers forecast between December 19 and February 4 – a 22% increase on last year.
The state government paid $500,000 to secure the concert, with the Launceston City Council adding $150,000.
Treasurer Eric Abetz said the event is expected to deliver an 11-to-1 return on investment.
The limited SkyBus service comes after the Liberal’s promised a 12-month trial in Launceston during the 2025 election campaign – a commitment that has not yet been delivered.
