The collapse of Bonza airlines has prompted a glass half full response from Albury Council staff in their latest budget update.
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A March quarter financial review noted the budget flyer's entry into voluntary administration in April meant its failure could not be fully quantified for ratepayers.
However, the staff then cited Bonza's impact over the last year.
"The financial performance of airport operations over the past 12 months has been significantly more positive than forecast, due to increased car parking revenue generated by Bonza services," team leaders Stephen Byrns and Glenn Henderson wrote.
"The additional revenue earned exceeds and will fully offset any outstanding debts unable to be recovered from Bonza."
Albury councillor David Thurley seized on those words and read them to the council meeting on Monday, May 27.
Asked by The Border Mail his motivation for highlighting the passage, Cr Thurley referred to criticism from former councillor Murray King "spouting off how hopeless we are" over airport operations and previous losses due to airlines Virgin and JetGo exiting Albury.
"I wanted to make it clear we won't recover the outstanding money, I'm pretty sure although that depends on the final report from the administrators and yes that's unfortunate but the period Bonza operated there was increased revenue that will more than compensate for the losses," Cr Thurley said.
"I know we're still losing money over the long term but it is not the total disaster as Murray King portrays it."
The Border Mail asked the council for the debt tally and service leader business and lifestyle Ambrose Glass declined to put out a figure.
"In relation to any debts Albury City may be exposed to with Bonza, this remains commercial in confidence," Mr Glass said.
That prompted a barb from Mr King who labelled the reply "garbage, absolute garbage".
"It's not commercial in confidence, it's a debt owed to the residents and ratepayers of Albury," Mr King said.
"Ambrose Glass and (council chief executive) Frank Zaknich don't own the council, the figure needs to be brought out into the open.
"They need to be transparent, the figure is not going to get any less, in fact it could be more when you add fees and charges."
Mr King challenged councillors, who were elected on a platform of clarity, to push for the debt sum to be provided to ratepayers.
"If you don't fight for this amount to be told you're not being transparent, you're not being open," he said.
Mr King also said Cr Thurley's focus on car parking failed to account for other losses tied to Bonza's demise.
"What you're missing out on is the landing fees, the per head passenger levy and the spending in the terminal which doesn't equal someone parking their car for the weekend," Mr King said.
"I think the statement from Cr Thurley is probably not written by himself and just another feather in the cap for the executive for the poor way they run the airport and ultimately the city."
Cr Thurley rejected the suggestion he was worded up.
"That's absolute rubbish," he said.
"My views are my own and are not put up by council staff."
Albury airport has had 237,299 passengers pass through from July 1 to April 30, with Bonza entering voluntary administration on the last mentioned date.
In 2022-23 there were 253,200 travellers and in 2021-22 107,934.
