The Cairns community has been lobbying for public buses to and from Cairns Airport at least since 1999. Politicians agree it must happen but nothing is done.

In January 2015, Dinah Boughton, a mother and wife new to Cairns, was killed by a car while she was walking from Sheridan Street to Cairns Airport. She was walking because there is no public bus link from Sheridan Street to Cairns Airport.

Backpackers and others are frequently seen walking from Sheridan Street to Cairns Airport for the same reason - there is no public bus link.

Buses from Palm Cove to the Cairns CBD, and from the Cairns CBD to Palm Cove should loop through Cairns Airport such that there are buses from Cairns Airport to Palm Cove every 30 minutes and buses from Cairns Airport to the CBD every 30 minutes, and similarly buses from Palm Cove to Cairns Airport every 30 minutes, and buses from Cairns CBD to Cairns Airport every 30 minutes.

Alternatively, Translink buses should at least operate between Cairns Airport and the Lake Street bus platform in the CBD. These Translink buses should run via Sheridan Street so northbound passengers can change in North Cairns. Buses should run every 30 minutes.

The public buses should stop outside the Domestic Terminal and also outside the International Terminal.