The managing director of Canberra Airport says there are ''no major obstacles'' standing in the way of an ACT government plan to bring international flights to the territory.
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Stephen Byron believes a taskforce set up to bring direct routes to the ACT will achieve its goal by March next year, when the second phase of the airport's $420 million redevelopment will be complete.
The taskforce of Canberra business and tourism leaders, announced by Tourism Minister Andrew Barr last month, will have its first meeting today before beginning its pitch to airlines for a direct Canberra to New Zealand route.
The group's first goal is to secure six return flights to New Zealand each week by the time the western concourse is open.
''I think it's quite achievable and I think, from where we sit today, there are no major obstacles,'' Mr Byron said. ''I think people are on board, the demand is there and I think - the European debt situation willing - the airlines will come to the party.''
Qantas and Virgin Australia said they had no plans at this stage to fly from Canberra to New Zealand.
Mr Byron said highlighting Canberra's business, government, cultural and sporting links to New Zealand was crucial, ''so we can best combine the reasons to achieve the flights''.
Canberra Business Council CEO Chris Faulks said government and business would have to demonstrate they would purchase enough tickets on direct flights to make the route viable. ''We're also looking forward to the next stage, which will hopefully be direct flights to Singapore, which would allow business to hub from there to anywhere else in the world.''
