"Australian airports gear up for low-cost airlines"

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Airports gear up for low-cost airlines
By Melissa Ketchell
Australia - The Brisbane Courier & Mail


AS it prepares for an influx of passengers travelling on low-cost carriers
next month, the Gold Coast Airport has already posted a surge in numbers.

Queensland Airports Ltd recorded a 6.8 per cent increase in traffic during
August to September, compared to 2006, with 948,000 passengers passing
through the terminal. 

And with next month's start of services by Tiger Airways and AirAsia X, the
airport is expecting the numbers to dramatically increase. 

Air Asia X will start four direct services a week between Kuala Lumpur and
the Gold Coast from November 3. 

Tiger Airways will start daily Melbourne to Gold Coast services on November
23. 

The arrival of the low-cost carriers is expected to see many Brisbane
passengers choose to travel from the Gold Coast to take advantage of cheaper
fares. 

Gold Coast Airport chief operating officer Paul Donovan said by the end of
November, the airport would offer flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle
and Canberra and five international destinations Kuala Lumpur, Auckland,
Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 

QAL also reported growth in its Townsville and Mount Isa airports. 

QAL managing director Dennis Chant said Townsville had recorded passenger
increase of 3.1 per cent to 248,766 passengers. 

"Our north Queensland airports have also been performing consistently well,
with Townsville proving itself to be north Queensland's major regional hub
for people and freight in and out of the area, and Mount Isa continuing to
flourish in the midst of a mining boom," Mr Chant said. 

Increased demand in Townsville led to Virgin Blue introducing a fourth daily
flight between Brisbane and Townsville during September. 

Mount Isa's airport traffic increased 24.1 per cent to 34,126 passengers for
the August-September period. Mount Isa Airport general manager Jennifer Welk
said the growth was helped by the ongoing mining boom and August's Mount Isa
Rodeo. 

"The rodeo drew huge interest to the area nationally and internationally,"
Ms Welk said.

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