Perth Airport — too early, or too late?
Travelling through the fourth largest airport in Australia was, and possibly still is hard for some travellers. But Perth Airport’s $500 million dollar redevelopment promises to wow your pants off — not literally, no.
Perth Airport is growing, and growing fast.
We had close to 14 million passengers travel through Perth Airport in the twelve months leading up to June this year. That’s 13 961 580 passengers to be exact. A growth of only 2.2% from the previous year.
Aviation experts believe the airport will reach 28.5 million passengers in the next twenty years.
Perth Airport’s new Masterplan video details to us its ultimate vision for the future.
OfficialPerthAirport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA2Ubgc0znw
A futuristic look into the progression of my home airport within the next twenty years. And wow, an automated people mover as well!
A train line, third runway and integrated terminal building are just some of the aspects boldly outlined as part of this ultimate redevelopment of the airport. Perth Airport are still yet to complete the Virgin Australia-dedicated pier, due for opening in early-2015 — the third time (via YPPHUpdates) the date has been pushed back. Road infrastructure is also promised to be completed before the end of the decade with the project ‘Gateway WA’ in full swing.
But, one project completed on-time and on-budget was the opening of a new terminal to meet the increased demand of the fly-in-fly-out sector in WA’s north-west region. Terminal 2 was opened in March 2013 and houses Virgin Australia’s regional division, Alliance Airlines and Tigerair Australia.
Also completed was a dedicated A380-capable gate with Emirates tipped in bringing their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft on services to and from Perth “… in the near future”.
Photo: David Eyre — AviationWA
Rail Line
“Oh my god, they've actually listened to us!”
The State Government recently proposed a rail link to the airport and putting it at the forefront of all projects the Public Transport Authority is intending to do such as the likes of a max-light rail system and a rail line extending to Butler.
The rail line’s cost — 2.2 billion dollars.
It is planned to begin construction in 2016 and complete it by 2020. The plan is outlined below in the animation so I do not have to bore you with the details.
The Public Transport Authority has said:
The Forrestfield-Airport Link provides a rail solution that improves transport connectivity to and from Perth Airport, the eastern suburbs and regional centres.
SOURCE: http://getthebiggerpicture.wa.gov.au/forrestfield-airport-link/
I guess it’s all part of the government’s “Bigger Picture” which includes projects like “Elizabeth Quay”, a new children’s hospital and the new Perth Stadium.
Neat, huh?
Third Runway
From sources like The West Australian and PerthNow, you may have seen the heated debate on the issue regarding whether or not Perth Airport requires a third runway to meet this growing need. Although planning is minutely underway, the majority of airlines servicing Perth Airport say the third runway is essential if they were to increase capacity or frequency to various destinations.
These airlines however, do not agree to footing the bill of the cost of building this third runway, which is just made out to be around 600 million dollars. Perth Airport’s second option is to get the cost of the runway paid through the implementation of a separate airport tax (not the one which you already pay as part of your airfare price when departing all Australian airports).
Perth Airport’s ultimate master plan released two months ago for public comment details the need for a third runway as being extra supportive as to the increased services due to the booming low-cost travel industry (with AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Scoot and Tigerair Singapore making up nearly one-third of all airlines with services from Perth to south-east Asian destinations).
The need for the third runway is also due to the boom in fly-in-fly-out travel from the regional sector with small mining airlines needing the capacity particularly at peak period hours of the day (eg. 5:30 — 7am and 5:30 — 7pm) when most are departing or returning to mine sites.
The State Government has also butted into this conversation with the State Aviation Strategy calling for the third runway as it would boost movements from 47 to 75 per hour which is a 60% increase in capacity. Construction will not commence till around mid-2018 when all parties involved agree to the proposed idea which is still in the midst of planning.
The State Government has said that:
A new parallel runway will provide the step-change in capacity needed to cope
with current peak hour demand as well as accommodate continuing high levels of growth at the airport.
and that,
Perth Airport is under considerable stress owing to unpredicted levels of growth, which have exceeded the runway capacity at peak midweek morning and afternoon periods.
“Part 9 — Perth Airport Infrastructure” Aug 2013, Department of Transport — Government of Western Australia, <http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/aviation/AV_P_State_Aviation_Strategy.pdf>, [01/09/2014]
Integrated Terminal Building
This year, the masterplan also calls for an integrated terminal with all air services departing and arriving from one set location.
Currently, Terminal 1 (International) and Terminal 2 are located to the east of the current runway(s) 03/21 and Terminal(s) 3 and 4 which house Qantas, Network, Jetstar and Virgin Australia are located to the west making changing terminals a hassle and something that Dunreath Drive will not suffice for long.
The precincts of Airport North, South, East and West will house area-specific warehouses, buildings, shops and business centres with the main purpose being in close proximity to the airport’s consolidated terminal precinct, “Airport Central”.
Something other than this is the minute differences to the aerodrome landscape like the extension of taxiway charlie to the threshold of runway 03 and a southern aviation freight precinct dedicated to you guessed it, freighter aircraft.
Currently, these freighter aircraft are loading and offloading close to passenger aircraft in the International and Domestic precincts of the current airport estate.
These differences do aid in getting you around airside and helps you depart and arrival on time although much of the travelling public could not care less about anything which doesn’t pertain to the “passenger experience” both at the airport and on the aircraft.
For one thing, a multi-storey car park is also planned which is both a noticeable feature, but also accessible by the public to use and “experience”.
What are your thoughts on all of this? Leave your comments by either emailing me at lukemc@iinet.net.au, tweeting me @mcconvilleluke or my news website @YPPHUpdates or even by following my Facebook page here. I would love any feedback or concerns and will address them appropriately.
Back on topic now.
My view is that Perth Airport, with its 19 international airlines and more than 20 domestic and regional airlines combined needs this redevelopment, especially when thinking ahead to around the year 2044, whereby the passenger numbers are expected to reach in excess of 70 million — as large as some major international airports in our present age.
MORE: The Airlines of Perth Airport (via YPPHUpdates)
Overall, I feel that Perth Airport — the fourth largest airport, is taking a step in the right direction, but I do think they could of prepared for this much earlier when aviation experts predicted this boom. The video below is a very good analysis by one of the leading experts in the trade with Perth-based aviation expert, Geoffrey Thomas presenting his view of my home airport in this informative podcast.
But one thing is for certain, Perth Airport is and will continue to grow into the future.
