Justin L
16th June 2009, 09:42 AM
This article was in today's (June 16) Adelaide Advertiser. I recall when Jetstar were first about to enter the Adelaide market they wanted to use Edinburgh also.
Jetstar say there are a number of routes they would be interested in flying out of Edinburgh. Any guesses as to what routes may interest them?
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25642218-5006301,00.html
Jetstar wants to fly from Edinburgh
Article from: The Advertiser
STUART INNES
June 16, 2009 12:01am
JETSTAR will ask the Defence Department for permission to operate from the RAAF's Edinburgh base because of Adelaide Airport's high fees and restrictive curfew.
The 11pm to 6am curfew for flights landing and taking off at Adelaide, coupled with higher-than-average usage fees, is a factor preventing the airline from offering international flights from the city.
At the Australian Tourism Exchange in Melbourne yesterday, Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said "airport costs and charges for Adelaide are one of the highest in the country".
"There are a number of (destinations) we would be interested in running out of Adelaide . . . and there are operational complexities with the curfew," he said.
Jetstar previously has tried to persuade Defence to allow it to run commercial flights through the Edinburgh RAAF base but has been rebuffed.
However, Mr Buchanan said it had not given up and believed such an alternative airport would spark the market.
It is understood this month's change of Defence Minister from Joel Fitzgibbon to John Faulkner could aid the airline's case.
The Defence Department did not return calls for comment last night.
If Edinburgh were used, including for the airline's domestic flights, a bus service would connect with Adelaide city for all flights.
The 25km trip from Edinburgh to central Adelaide would cost up to $50 for a one-way taxi fare.
The RAAF and commercial airlines share facilities in Darwin, Townsville and Williamtown (Newcastle).
Qantas operates three international flights a week through Adelaide, while Jetstar has none.
Mr Buchanan said Adelaide was a "price-sensitive" market and travellers would go to an airport if that was where the low-cost airfares were – as had been the case with Jetstar using Avalon Airport, a 45-minute drive from Melbourne.
Adelaide Airport corporate affairs manager John McArdle admitted airlines had higher fees loaded into their ticket prices for flying through Adelaide – but said they were out of the control of Adelaide Airport Limited.
He also admitted the Federal Government-imposed curfew was restrictive to both airport management and the airline.
"(The) airline charges we impose for airlines to use the runway and taxiways are among the, if not the, lowest of any capital city airport," Mr McArdle said.
"But then you add the passenger facility charge (to help pay for the $260 million terminal), the Federal Government's noise-attenuation tax (to pay for insulating nearby houses), the Airservices Australia en-route (air traffic control) charge and its location-specific area control charges.
"It does put us among the highest in the country."
He said some of those charges were divided by the number of aircraft movements, and because Adelaide Airport had relatively fewer movements, the cost to each traveller was high.
"And I agree with what (Mr Buchanan) says about the curfew – that does restrict us," he said.
Air travel to Australia could be decimated, with a number of flights to the southern hemisphere cut as the cash-strapped British Government confirms it will double air-passenger taxes.
In Britain, airlines have united to appeal to the government to drop plans to lift the duty, warning the recession had already crippled their operations and the tax hike would force them to drop the number of routes.
One in 10 of all flights from UK airports is expected to disappear this year. Already, 40 scheduled flights, including to Australia, have been dropped over the past 12 months because of falling passenger numbers.
A family of four travelling to Australia from Britain would have to pay $700 in aviation taxes under the changes – double the present rate.
Jetstar say there are a number of routes they would be interested in flying out of Edinburgh. Any guesses as to what routes may interest them?
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25642218-5006301,00.html
Jetstar wants to fly from Edinburgh
Article from: The Advertiser
STUART INNES
June 16, 2009 12:01am
JETSTAR will ask the Defence Department for permission to operate from the RAAF's Edinburgh base because of Adelaide Airport's high fees and restrictive curfew.
The 11pm to 6am curfew for flights landing and taking off at Adelaide, coupled with higher-than-average usage fees, is a factor preventing the airline from offering international flights from the city.
At the Australian Tourism Exchange in Melbourne yesterday, Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said "airport costs and charges for Adelaide are one of the highest in the country".
"There are a number of (destinations) we would be interested in running out of Adelaide . . . and there are operational complexities with the curfew," he said.
Jetstar previously has tried to persuade Defence to allow it to run commercial flights through the Edinburgh RAAF base but has been rebuffed.
However, Mr Buchanan said it had not given up and believed such an alternative airport would spark the market.
It is understood this month's change of Defence Minister from Joel Fitzgibbon to John Faulkner could aid the airline's case.
The Defence Department did not return calls for comment last night.
If Edinburgh were used, including for the airline's domestic flights, a bus service would connect with Adelaide city for all flights.
The 25km trip from Edinburgh to central Adelaide would cost up to $50 for a one-way taxi fare.
The RAAF and commercial airlines share facilities in Darwin, Townsville and Williamtown (Newcastle).
Qantas operates three international flights a week through Adelaide, while Jetstar has none.
Mr Buchanan said Adelaide was a "price-sensitive" market and travellers would go to an airport if that was where the low-cost airfares were – as had been the case with Jetstar using Avalon Airport, a 45-minute drive from Melbourne.
Adelaide Airport corporate affairs manager John McArdle admitted airlines had higher fees loaded into their ticket prices for flying through Adelaide – but said they were out of the control of Adelaide Airport Limited.
He also admitted the Federal Government-imposed curfew was restrictive to both airport management and the airline.
"(The) airline charges we impose for airlines to use the runway and taxiways are among the, if not the, lowest of any capital city airport," Mr McArdle said.
"But then you add the passenger facility charge (to help pay for the $260 million terminal), the Federal Government's noise-attenuation tax (to pay for insulating nearby houses), the Airservices Australia en-route (air traffic control) charge and its location-specific area control charges.
"It does put us among the highest in the country."
He said some of those charges were divided by the number of aircraft movements, and because Adelaide Airport had relatively fewer movements, the cost to each traveller was high.
"And I agree with what (Mr Buchanan) says about the curfew – that does restrict us," he said.
Air travel to Australia could be decimated, with a number of flights to the southern hemisphere cut as the cash-strapped British Government confirms it will double air-passenger taxes.
In Britain, airlines have united to appeal to the government to drop plans to lift the duty, warning the recession had already crippled their operations and the tax hike would force them to drop the number of routes.
One in 10 of all flights from UK airports is expected to disappear this year. Already, 40 scheduled flights, including to Australia, have been dropped over the past 12 months because of falling passenger numbers.
A family of four travelling to Australia from Britain would have to pay $700 in aviation taxes under the changes – double the present rate.