Officials from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, JETGO, Essendon Airport, Charles Sturt University and the tourism sector hopped on board to inspect the 36-seat Embraer jet on Tuesday.

Direct flights connecting Port Macquarie and Melbourne start on November 7.

JETGO managing director airlines Paul Bredereck said the airline was really looking forward to coming to Port Macquarie.

He said the community had been very welcoming and positive.

“They key characteristic of the markets that for us are a success is very much a positive relationship,” Mr Bredereck said.

He said the community could expect a very good flight service.

Ticket sales at this point are well ahead of expectations but it is early days.

Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peter Besseling said the new service would provide opportunities.

“It opens opportunities for our local economy to grow, it opens opportunities for tourism, it provides opportunities for small business,” he said.

Flights will initially be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

It is hoped the service will increase to seven days a week as demand builds.

The flights will land at Essendon Airport.

There is a free bus to the railway station, and from there, it is short train trip to the Melbourne CBD.

Essendon Fields general manager aviation Graeme Ware said there was a regional feel at the airport even though it was only 10 kilometres away from the heart of Melbourne.

“You will be flying into a simple airport but an airport that is built just for people, and just the types of people that JETGO will be providing a great service to,” he said.