Australian Airport Closures

[Paragraph377]

Some interesting activity coming from just three mainline airports that I know of;

Gold Coast Airport - looking at closing part of its terminal to save electricity costs.

Cairns Airport - preparing to close the International terminal to save energy costs.

Brisbane Airport - they are currently discussing moving domestic operations over to the international terminal and then shutting down the domestic terminal to save energy costs.

Townsville Airport; putting infrastructure upgrades on ice and looking at ways to potentially shut off part of the terminal.

I would imagine there are other airports out there considering or already doing some of the above actions. Interesting to see the flow-down effect which of course goes well beyond airlines and airports.

[DanV2]

Sunshine Coast Airport if I recall correctly was discussing turning off part of their terminal to save on electricity costs since all passenger flights were suspended.

[mates rates]

This is why airports,a key strategic part of the countries infrastructure should always be owned and run by the Federal Government!!

[gordonfvckingramsay]

This is why airports,a key strategic part of the countries infrastructure should always be owned and run by the Federal Government!!

One upon a time I would have disagreed with this, but after a few decades of watching critical infrastructure rot as corporations siphon the profits, I agree! Time for our corporate “leaders” to be shooed away from the trough and grounded like teenagers who can’t be trusted.

[machtuk]

One upon a time I would have disagreed with this, but after a few decades of watching critical infrastructure rot as corporations siphon the profits, I agree! Time for our corporate “leaders” to be shooed away from the trough and grounded like teenagers who can’t be trusted.

be great but remember this is Australia, one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, we are a 3RD world nation hiding under a 1ST world mask!

[RampDog]

be great but remember this is Australia, one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, we are a 3RD world nation hiding under a 1ST world mask!
Heard someone remark the other day "Australia is the only Third World country where you can safely drink the tap water"
The corruption that goes unseen, in plain sight, is unbearable!
My other favourite saying is "It's only a rort if you're not in it" :=

[Berealgetreal]

Airport closures? Great been ripping us off blind for years.

[directimped]

One upon a time I would have disagreed with this, but after a few decades of watching critical infrastructure rot as corporations siphon the profits, I agree! Time for our corporate “leaders” to be shooed away from the trough and grounded like teenagers who can’t be trusted.
Definitely agree with you on this one.

[George Glass]

Up to your usual standard machtuk. Why do you bother ?
Apart from the febrile knee-jerk response, why do you think Government would do any better?
Much better that private organisations manage the shutdown WITHOUT government interference.

[TBM-Legend]

Canberra Airport to close Rwy 12/30 because of "the Corona virus situation"!

What this means is that it will never reopen and release a huge tract of land for developers. Don't worry about the smaller aircraft users and that the airport is supposed to remain in the configuration at the change from the FAC.

Also on the grapevine the closure of the southern parallel runway at YSBK.

[Air Ace]

"be great but remember this is Australia, one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, we are a 3RD world nation hiding under a 1ST world mask!"

You obviously haven't travelled much machtuk. In fact, Australia is one of the "cleanest" nations on Earth according to the authoritive Transparency International (www.transparency.org/) who publish an annual index.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1056x788/corruption_index_ebfe8eedb6a3f3717974d092c4cc5d005478cb65.jp g
Best not tell stories! :=

Regarding airports I'm old enough to remember the converted hangars and Quonset huts that served as airport terminals for all the DC4s and snazzy new DC6's, Viscounts and Electras during the Government days. I don't believe the Governments managed the airports any better than Private Enterprise and in fact, probably managed them far worse? Government's aviation involvement now is CASA and AsA both of which confirm in my mind that Government should not be allowed anywhere near commercial aviation.

[Paragraph377]

Canberra Airport to close Rwy 12/30 because of "the Corona virus situation"!

What this means is that it will never reopen and release a huge tract of land for developers. Don't worry about the smaller aircraft users and that the airport is supposed to remain in the configuration at the change from the FAC.

Also on the grapevine the closure of the southern parallel runway at YSBK.As an example, Cairns airport was sold to a consortium which consisted of JP Morgan, Perron Investments, and others. All that has been done since the sale is they have added boutique stores and cafes so they can charge more rent, they’ve upgraded car parking (to extract more fees) and they shut down RWY 12/30 and jacked up rent so as to deliberately force light aircraft operators to move to Malanda, so they could charge higher rents to larger operators in Cairns. The international terminal looks the set of a 1970’s porn film or something out of Austen Powers. An outdated hole. All the owners do is suck out money and pump minimal back in. And if you want to see how an airport kills people by allowing infrastructure to encroach upon runways and airspace just look at Essendon Fields. The current GM Aviation is a total muppet. Then you have Bankstown, a former hub for training and maintenance. Now it’s an aeronautically deserted ghost town surrounded by building complexes. As for what is buried beneath the runway and leaks into the Georgeous River when the area floods, well you really don’t want to be one of the local residences whose house floods with the toxic crap leaking out from below the surface.

Yes, privatisation and asset sales are a wonderful thing aren’t they?

[Look Mum - no hands]

This is why airports,a key strategic part of the countries infrastructure should always be owned and run by the Federal Government!!
And if they were government owned, imagine the uproar at the wasted tax payers money as the unused terminals sat empty, lights blazing, aircon running.......

[Flitefone]

Heard someone remark the other day "Australia is the only Third World country where you can safely drink the tap water"

The corruption that goes unseen, in plain sight, is unbearable!

My other favourite saying is "It's only a rort if you're not in it" :=


the tap water line is a direct quote from Alan Whicker and his travel show Whickers World from the 1960's and 1970's .. It may have been true fifty years ago, and it was said with affection - Oz has grown a lot since then too!

[TBM-Legend]

As an example, Cairns airport was sold to a consortium which consisted of JP Morgan, Perron Investments, and others. All that has been done since the sale is they have added boutique stores and cafes so they can charge more rent, they’ve upgraded car parking (to extract more fees) and they shut down RWY 12/30 and jacked up rent so as to deliberately force light aircraft operators to move to Malanda, so they could charge higher rents to larger operators in Cairns. The international terminal looks the set of a 1970’s porn film or something out of Austen Powers. An outdated hole. All the owners do is suck out money and pump minimal back in. And if you want to see how an airport kills people by allowing infrastructure to encroach upon runways and airspace just look at Essendon Fields. The current GM Aviation is a total muppet. Then you have Bankstown, a former hub for training and maintenance. Now it’s an aeronautically deserted ghost town surrounded by building complexes. As for what is buried beneath the runway and leaks into the Georgeous River when the area floods, well you really don’t want to be one of the local residences whose house floods with the toxic crap leaking out from below the surface.

Yes, privatisation and asset sales are a wonderful thing aren’t they?


Remember the Govt sold a monopoly. There is no accountability to the public...

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

Airlines lose their customers, partially close down and mothball aircraft and boo hoo. Airports lose their customers, partially close down and moth ball facilities and they're money grubbing *****? Everyone is being dictated to by the various governments and everyone is feeling the pain. Everyone's got bills to pay. No one is doing any of this for fun.

[RampDog]

the tap water line is a direct quote from Alan Whicker and his travel show Whickers World from the 1960's and 1970's .. It may have been true fifty years ago, and it was said with affection - Oz has grown a lot since then too!
Hey Flitefone, I wasn't claiming that line as anything original, but i do use it with affection :ok:
I've been to plenty of Thirld World countries and you wouldn't want to live there unless you didn't have a choice (which is most of their populations)
I don't know who first quoted the line about rorts, but I bet it was first uttered here in OZ at Camp Cove in 1788, and probably originated in Old Blighty :(

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Either way, we, the PUBLIC, PASSENGERS pay..!!

At least, when airports were Gummint owned / operated, one did NOT get 'gouged' for parking / landing fees.......

I used to enjoy landing at SY - FREE of charge, (Well directly anyway...) 'for a cuppa coffee' at the then TAA terminal, with the then '30 minute Light Aircraft Parking Area' right outside!.

No Cheers here...NOPE ! None at all.........................................

[morno]

To be fair, things are a little (well, were) busier than the days when TAA were around :ok:

[Horatio Leafblower]

Air Ace would recall the zero-cost quonsett huts of the 1950s without running water or electricity and have you believe that the idea of shutting down the 21st century palaces with their bajillion gigawatts of lighting is a communist plot.

I am old enough to remember .... no never mind.

[vee1-rotate]

No a closure, but MEL is waiving all parking fees for pax. What a bunch of angels.

[Paragraph377]

No a closure, but MEL is waiving all parking fees for pax. What a bunch of angels.
How generous. Easy to do when patronage has virtually stopped due to COVID-19. And what a surprise, Strambi ex-QF is the airport boss and the ‘carpark boss’ is a C-Level ex VA muppet. Let’s see them waive the fees after thing return to the ‘new’ normal.

[Turnleft080]

Air Ace. Nice map, only one problem.
If you look at the dirtiest countries i.e. Africa can you tell me why they hardly have any Covid-19 and the cleanest
are ridden with it. I'll give you a clue, food is your medicine.

[machtuk]

Either way, we, the PUBLIC, PASSENGERS pay..!!

At least, when airports were Gummint owned / operated, one did NOT get 'gouged' for parking / landing fees.......

I used to enjoy landing at SY - FREE of charge, (Well directly anyway...) 'for a cuppa coffee' at the then TAA terminal, with the then '30 minute Light Aircraft Parking Area' right outside!.

No Cheers here...NOPE ! None at all.........................................

gee that brings back memories. I used to do practice ILS and land at Tulla in the 80's and park sometimes at the end if the AN terminal where Kendells where if a spot was a avail. The safety officer would come collect us we would coffee up in the terminal he'd drive us back, take off and disappear into the sunset...FREE!

[non_state_actor]

How is Sydney Airport going to cope without going broke? Their whole business model was built on being heavily geared only to now see the revenue vanish, which ruins that business model.

[Paragraph377]

How is Sydney Airport going to cope without going broke? Their whole business model was built on being heavily geared only to now see the revenue vanish, which ruins that business model.
Who cares. The monopoly has been making close to a billion per year in profits and not one cent goes into Australian taxpayer or Government coffers. Fu#k em.

[mates rates]

Griffo,
You got ripped off.The coffee was cheaper at the TAA canteen which you had to walk past to get to the terminal.

[vee1-rotate]

Griffo,
You got ripped off.The coffee was cheaper at the TAA canteen which you had to walk past to get to the terminal.

Would rather pay more and watch the eye candy in the terminal than sit in the TAA lunch room with a bunch of bag chuckers

[Look Mum - no hands]

Would rather pay more and watch the eye candy in the terminal than sit in the TAA lunch room with a bunch of bag chuckers
Finally - something that hasn't changed!

[halas]

gee that brings back memories. I used to do practice ILS and land at Tulla in the 80's and park sometimes at the end if the AN terminal where Kendells where if a spot was a avail. The safety officer would come collect us we would coffee up in the terminal he'd drive us back, take off and disappear into the sunset...FREE!

Remember going in to SY in the evening, pull up out side Flight Facilities.

Some nice ladies working the desk.

Always got a cuppa, then go.

halas

[PoppaJo]

Might be some GA revenue to save the day.

On the trek down to 16R the the other day, to what appeared in front of me , was a Piper Seminole taxing in.

It will make my day if I see a C152 on final for 16L.

I heard that someone was doing a touch and go at Melbourne in a 172 also.

[B772]

I remember when AN had vending machines for hot and cold drinks in some or all gate lounges at MEL. These got the chop after retail tenants complained. After this drinks and snacks appeared when there were flight delays.

[Anti Skid On]

You obviously haven't travelled much machtuk. In fact, Australia is one of the "cleanest" nations on Earth according to the authoritive Transparency International (www.transparency.org/) who publish an annual index.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1056x788/corruption_index_ebfe8eedb6a3f3717974d092c4cc5d005478cb65.jp g
Best not tell stories! :=

Regarding airports I'm old enough to remember the converted hangars and Quonset huts that served as airport terminals for all the DC4s and snazzy new DC6's, Viscounts and Electras during the Government days. I don't believe the Governments managed the airports any better than Private Enterprise and in fact, probably managed them far worse? Government's aviation involvement now is CASA and AsA both of which confirm in my mind that Government should not be allowed anywhere near commercial aviation.


Corruption, perhaps not, but nepotism is rife.

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

The monopoly has been making close to a billion per year in profits and not one cent goes into Australian taxpayer or Government coffers.
According to their 2019 financial report they made $286m before tax. Any Australian taxpayer who directly owns shares or has them in their super fund is making money (39 of those not one cents per share actually) out of Sydney Airport. They have losses to offset against their profit, so no tax ($71m according to the same report) paid (just like Qantas did for 10 years). Pretty much par for the course for an any savvy business accounting, or the average taxpayer if he's smart.

[Berealgetreal]

Zero pity for them, nearly a decade ago Melbourne Airport carpark alone was clearing a million dollars a day. It’s so bad Scurrah and Joyce actually have joined forces over the matter. The airports are just one of the segments raking in millions while we squabble of the scraps and have watched conditions go backwards for decades.

[Paragraph377]

I remember when AN had vending machines for hot and cold drinks in some or all gate lounges at MEL. These got the chop after retail tenants complained. After this drinks and snacks appeared when there were flight delays.
What about downstairs at Brisbane’s domestic terminal, the airline staff canteen nicknamed ‘The Chew and Spew’? The Chef was a large unit who would sweat over the food. Occasionally he would be spotted taking rubbish airside, dropping it into bins and then heading back into the kitchen to cook food - no gloves. His nickname was ‘SouthPark Chef’! The slop was very very cheap, but came at a cost to your health. Even when AN were still operating, the new entrant VB started a petition to get the catering tenant kicked out and a better one brought in. I know of one AN engineer who had a feed from there and 15 minutes later was headsetting a 767 pushing back. The tug driver had to stop mid-push, twice, while the Gingerbeer spewed his guts up all over the tarmac. At first the aircrew were pissed off but then had a good laugh. Quickest food poisoning on record! This story has been certified as true and correct but there was a twist. Allegedly once back inside the muster room the Gingerbeer’s white overalls were as brown as a Mars Bar becuase he had completely shat himself also.Not long after that the ‘Chew and Spew’ was closed down forever.

[clark y]

Paragraph, I remember it as the Chew and Spew.

On the maintenance side of the field, we had the "Roach Coach" drive airside in the hangar for smoko. Try doing that these days.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Maaaaate (s) ,
We had our 'own eye candy' and were trying to impress.........

Following the coffee was a 'scenic to 'Summer Bay' and back to BK, and a 'wunnerful night out' etc etc.......

Dems WERE DE Days.........Cheeerrrsss....

[Ascend Charlie]

Griffo, on the downside was having to drive to the FSU at KSA, find a park, go in to pick up a stack of copied pages of weather and Notams, find a desk to sit down and nut out the flight plan. Take it to the front desk and see if the dude would approve it - otherwise back to the desk and find some fuel somewhere in the calculations. Get the stamp, back in the car, back to GA and take the Navajo out for a gallop.

Coming back to KSA, the ATC kept me high and fast to fit in the slot, then said clear for ILS. Wonder of wonders, you just can't close the throttles on those engines and dump flap to slow down and start descending. The tower asked why I was still so high as I tried to get back to flap speed before descending, and didn't touch down until after 07/25 intersection. Mumble mumble...

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Aye Aye Mr 'AC' ,

Remember such situations well when I were a intstruktar around the place. BETTER days than now - all de same.......

Hope ya got ya 'lil smiley on de FPL...most did! A 'custom' later introduced at JT.

Cheeerrrsss......

[Paragraph377]

And I like this bit from the Scottish shark at Perth Airport;

“Australia's fourth-biggest airport, is the first local airport to warn of a big drop in income and disclose it is reducing executive pay and abandoning dividends following the COVID-19 outbreak”

Yeah right Kevin, you greedy git. Excessive charges for car parking, excessive aeronautical fees and charges, and you say the Executives are dropping their pay but won’t reveal by how much!! Anybody who has had to deal with this arrogant and greedy Scotsman knows that he is full of crap. He has a history of charging through the nose and delivering SFA. He wouldn’t take a ten dollar pay cut if his life depended on it. If he is taking a cut in one hand he will be claiming double in the other hand!