As Western Australia grows so does Perth Airport

Perth Airport is currently Australia’s fastest growing capital city airport and the country’s fourth largest in terms of passenger movements. This year over 10 million passengers are expected to travel through the airport with a 10.9 per cent growth rate recorded during quarter one of FY10 within inter – national travel and a 5.8 per cent growth rate within domestic travel. Perth Airport’s passenger numbers have almost doubled within the last decade.

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia (approximately five times the size of Texas), and with over 75% of its population living in the city of Perth, which is also the world’s second most isolated capital city; it is therefore no surprise that air transport is vital to the state. Perth Airport is located just 12 kilometres, or 20 minutes’ travel time, east of Perth’s central business district.

Perth Airport is the only Australian port to facilitate 24 hour turnaround from the Middle East and is a vital link between Western Australia and ever-expanding Asian and Middle Eastern markets. These markets are very important as they contribute to 57 per cent and 28 per cent respectively of Perth’s international passenger numbers.

Perth enjoys a close proximity to the extremely popular tourist destination in South East Asia, including Singapore, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur and Bali and over the past 12 months, increased presence in Perth of low cost airlines such as AirAsia, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways has stimulated growth. During the 2009 calendar year, the number of Western Australians travelling to Indonesia and Malaysia increased by 50 per cent and 43 per cent respectively, while the number of Malaysians travelling to Perth increased by 50 per cent. The Perth to Singapore route was recently recorded as the fourth busiest international route in Australia, while passenger numbers to Bali grew by 66 per cent in 2009, and continue to grow in 2010.

The Western Australian and Australian economies are fuelled by a thriving resources sector that is intrinsically linked to fast-growing Asian markets. Among its many unique market features Perth Airport serves a large and expanding network of regional intrastate fly-in fly-out services for the resources sector. The state has remained well insulated from the effects of recent global financial turmoil, with billions of dollars in the new resource projects continuing to come on line.

As Western Australia grows so does Perth Airport. Around $1 billion is being invested over the next decade to increase capacity and improve customer service. The ultimate redevelopment of Perth Airport will see all domestic and international air services operating from one precinct, located at the current International Terminal site. The process of consolidating all operations is a complex one and is being phased.

Phase 1 of the consolidation will cost over $300m and commences with the construction of Terminal WA, next to the International Terminal, which will primarily cater for intrastate and some interstate services. This new terminal is a strategic and planned response to significant regional aviation growth. Terminal WA will have 34 aircraft parking positions, and a number of airlines operating from the existing Domestic Terminals will relocate to the new terminal. Construction of Terminal WA will commence this year, with the new terminal operational in 2012.

The timing of the final phases of con – solidation of all services into the current international precinct will depend upon demand, and is expected to occur between 2017 and 2021.

Given the vast distances separating population centres within Western Australia and beyond the state, Perth Airport plays a crucial role in the economic, social and cultural lives of nearly all Western Australians. Our airport is also a critical element of the logistics chain of the state’s world class resource sector, which continues to play a fundamental role in the Australian economy.