Breaking the rules about posting & drinking but here goes;
I truly hope that it is something that the new 'pro-aviation' Vic government has done to improve the 'value for money' at AV.
In a perfect world the SOB that 'owns' (rents) these airports (Essendon and Avalon) would have been given some structured guidance from the VIC Government Transport department about charging overly exorbitant landing fees and price gouging.
But cynical me says that the AV airport operators are just 'mining' another revenue source.
The cost of aviation in Australia is screwing GA and it starts with the bastuds that 'own' (rent) the infrastructure.
Essendon is suffering the death of a thousand cuts - slowly but surely being turned into strip malls and car yards. Avalon's pricing regime is outrageous and it will go the same way. Geelong airport has just been sold off.
Victoria has no mineral resources like its neighbouring states so governments have happily mined revenue out of the population by selling what is truly the peoples infrastructure to private/corporate business and then permitted the chargeback against the people for its use though tolls and fines.
The trouble with that is the tolls and fees dont get plowed back into the infrastructure and the infrastructure is 50 years behind.
Write, scream and shout at your ministers......please.
This country, with its space and distances, should be the leading light of aviation, transport and travel instead we are worse than 3rd world.
Even back country airports in India have fire service and a met man.
Esendon - in the centre of Melbourne - has none.
WTF!? I just heard a rumour that the reason that there is no public transport link to Melbourne airport - is because the government will have to pay a $2 billion penalty to the toll road owner for loss of revenue. Perhaps the operator of the Melbourne taxis also have a vested interest in never seeing this link happen and that would make any politician watch his back on a dark night.
On another subject - why is it that you can catch a train from Mascot (a couple of hundred metres out of Sydney aiirport) in Sydney to the city for $3.40 but it costs $14.60 (therabouts) to travel to or from the domestic terminal (which is only about 500 meters further on?)
Apparently the Macquarie Bank owns the airport rail line and gouges the users (passengers and airport workers) an extra $10 each way for the privilege.
Write, scream and shout to your ministers please......please.
Where is my medication.