From the Sydney Morning Herald a couple of days ago -
Gold Coast Airport gets Asia flight
June 29, 2007 - 4:19PM
The Gold Coast Airport has celebrated the arrival of its first long-haul international flight.
The Qantas plane, chartered by travel agent JTB from Tokyo, touched down at the airport to the cheers of Queensland Tourism Minister Margaret Keech and tourism and business representatives.
The airport now has the capacity to handle flights direct from Asia following the recent extension of its runway.
The flight was carrying 220 Japanese athletes who will compete in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon this weekend.
Ms Keech said the flight, which was diverted from its standard journey to Melbourne, symbolised "the beginning of a new era" for the Gold Coast.
The airport's runway has been extended by 458 metres, enabling direct routes from Japan and other possible destinations including China, the Middle East, India, Singapore, Taiwan and Korea and the US West Coast.
The runway extension was officially opened last month.
Why do politicians and their spin doctors manage to speak and write drivel? Surely there is an adviser to Ms Keech who would know that if a B767/A330 can arrive from Sydney full of SLF, then a B767 can arrive from anywhere on the planet full of SLF as the point of origin of a flight makes no difference to its landing. Are the "expert" advisers confusing the landing of a B747 with lighter twins?