ADL's $260m terminal shunned
ADL's $260m terminal shunned
Verity Edwards
December 07, 2005
THE boss of Adelaide airport has labelled "a disaster" a decision by the major domestic airlines to avoid using a new $260million terminal because of fuelling concerns.
John Howard opened the terminal two months ago but, apart from a small number of daily international flights, the facility has sat idle - complete with vacant shops and a near-empty carpark.
Qantas and Virgin Blue were due to begin using the terminal on October 18 but have been delayed by contamination of the underground fuel system with an anti-rust coating.
Despite results showing contamination levels were within international standards, Adelaide Airport Limited managing director Phil Baker said fuel supplier Exxon Mobil had ordered a new testing procedure.
Mr Baker said the airlines were free to move into the terminal but had refused to do so while the tests were under way.
He said there was only a 50 per cent chance the airlines would use the terminal before Christmas, and delays could extend to mid-January.
"It drives us nuts, really. We're sitting here, the innocent party," Mr Baker said. "It's a disaster, it's unnecessary."
But Exxon Mobil government affairs manager Alan Bailey said Shell and BP had also raised concerns about safety.
"There is a united view that these problems have yet to be resolved," Mr Bailey said.
"Our primary concern is the safety of the system ... to ensure that fuel being put into the system is not contaminated."
Tests are expected to take several days. But Mr Baker said he already considered the fuel lines safe.
"They could fuel up a Lear jet tomorrow and fly it around the world and I would get on it with my family," he said.