The Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) was a business enterprise of the Government of Australia responsible for the operation of major passenger airports in Australia. It was established by the Hawke Labor government by an act of parliament in 1987 and commenced operation in January 1988, [1] taking over control from the airports division of the Department of Aviation. [2]
Discussion of the privatisation of airport operation in Australia commenced in the early 1990s. In April 1994, the Keating Labor government announced that all airports operated by FAC would be privatised in several phases. [3] Melbourne Airport, for example, was to be included in the first phase. A firm decision was made in 1996 by the Howard Coalition government that each airport would be leased to an individual operator for 50 years, with an option for a 49-year extension. [4] Airport divestment was initiated in 1997 with the leasing of Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth Airports, followed by Adelaide, Canberra and Gold Coast Airports, the remaining smaller airports in 1998, Sydney Airport in 2002, and the Sydney Basin Airports of Bankstown, Camden and Hoxton Park in 2003. [5]
At the beginning of 1997 the FAC operated 22 airports and handled over 60 million passenger annually. [4] Melbourne Airport was leased to a newly formed Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited for A$1.307 billion, [6] with the transfer being completed on 30 June 1997. [7] Brisbane Airport was lease for $1.4 billion to Brisbane Airport Corporation. Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited also obtained a 90% stake in Launceston Airport for A$18.8 million on 29 May 1998, with the Launceston City Council owning the remaining 10%. [8] Perth Airport was leased to Westralia Airports Corporation Pty Ltd (now Perth Airport Pty Limited) in 1997.
By 30 June 1998 all significant assets and liabilities of the FAC were transferred to the new airport lessee companies. The FAC continued airport operations until 24 September 1998 and the transfer of residual assets and liabilities to the Commonwealth of Australia was not completed until 8 September 1999. [9] Sydney Airport Corporation acquired the lease for Sydney Airport in 2002.
At present the primary responsibility of the Airports Branch of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development is the regulation of 21 leased federal airports on Commonwealth land. The Branch administers the Airports Act 1996, its associated regulations and the airport head leases. [10]
Melbourne Airport, known locally as Tullamarine Airport, is the main international airport serving the city of Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the second busiest airport in Australia. The airport operates 24/7 and has on-site parking, world-class shopping and dining. The airport opened in 1970 and replaced Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the main international airport of the four airports serving the Melbourne metropolitan area, the other international airport being Avalon Airport.
Ansett Australia was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne, Victoria. The airline flew domestically within Australia and from the 1990s to destinations in Asia. After operating for 65 years, the airline was placed into administration in 2001 following a financial collapse and subsequent organised liquidation in 2002, subject to deed of company arrangement. The last flight touched down on 5 March 2002.
Perth Airport is an international, domestic and general aviation airport serving Perth, the capital city of Western Australia.
Brisbane Airport is an international airport serving Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland. The airport services 31 airlines flying to 50 domestic and 29 international destinations, total amounting to more than 22.7 million passengers who travelled through the airport in 2016. In 2016, an OAG report named Brisbane airport as the fifth-best performing large-sized airport in the world for on-time performance with 87% of arrivals and departures occurring within 15 minutes of their scheduled times, slipping from 88.31% the year before. It covers an area of 2,700 hectares, making the airport the largest in land area in all of Australia.
Avalon Airport is a domestic airport, located in Avalon in the City of Greater Geelong in Victoria, Australia. While located outside the Melbourne metropolitan area, it is the second busiest of the four airports serving the state capital in passenger traffic. It is located 15 km (9 mi) north-east of the Geelong CBD and 50 kilometres (31 mi) south-west of the Melbourne CBD. The airport is operated by Avalon Airport Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Linfox.
Hobart Airport is an international airport located in Cambridge, 17 km (11 mi) north-east of the Hobart CBD. It is the major and fastest growing passenger airport in Tasmania.
Launceston Airport is a regional airport on the outskirts of Launceston, Tasmania. The airport is located in the industrial area of Western Junction 15 km (9.3 mi) from Launceston city centre. It is Tasmania's second busiest after Hobart Airport; it can also run as a curfew free airport.
Rail transport in Australia is a component of the Australian transport system. It is to a large extent state-based, as each state largely has its own operations, with the interstate network being developed ever since Australia's federation in 1901. As of 2022, the Australian rail network consists of a total of 32,929 kilometres (20,461 mi) of track built to three major track gauges: 18,007 kilometres (11,189 mi) of standard gauge, 2,685 kilometres (1,668 mi) of broad gauge, and 11,914 kilometres (7,403 mi) of narrow gauge lines. Additionally, about 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) of 610 mm / 2 ft gauge lines support the sugar-cane industry. 3,488 kilometres (2,167 mi), around 11 per cent of the Australian heavy railways network route-kilometres are electrified.
Canberra Airport is an international airport situated in the district of Majura, Australian Capital Territory. It serves Australia's capital city, Canberra, as well as the nearby city of Queanbeyan and regional areas of the Australian Capital Territory and southeastern New South Wales. Located approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) from the city centre, within the North Canberra district, it is the ninth-busiest airport in Australia.
National Jet Express is an Australian charter airline and aviation services provider with its headquarters in Perth, Western Australia.
Tasman Cargo Airlines Pty. Limited is an Australian cargo airline with the head office in Sydney, Australia. It operates scheduled international cargo services on behalf of DHL and ad hoc domestic and international cargo charters. Its corporate headquarters are at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport in the Sydney suburb of Mascot. The fleet of aircraft are Boeing 767 based at different airports in Australia and New Zealand.
Rex Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian regional airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional and domestic services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group's companies and serves all 6 states across Australia. It is the primary subsidiary of Regional Express Holdings.
QantasLink is a full-service, regional brand of Australian flag carrier Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. As of 2024, QantasLink provides over 2,000 flights each week to over 50 metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia, as well as short-haul international services to New Zealand, Singapore, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.
Sunstate Airlines is a subsidiary of Qantas which operates regional flights under the QantasLink banner throughout Queensland, and between Brisbane and Canberra. Its head office is in Mascot, New South Wales, Australia.
Air traffic control in Australia is provided by two independent organisations, one civilian and one military. The civilian provider is Airservices Australia, which controls civilian airfields and airspace. The military provider is the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which controls military airfields and adjoining airspace. This includes Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy aviation bases.
Newcastle Airport is an international airport in Williamtown, New South Wales. It is located 15 kilometres; 9.2 miles (8 NM) north of Newcastle in Port Stephens. It is the 13th busiest airport in Australia, handling over 1.25 million passengers in the year ended 30 June 2017, an increase of 6.6% on the previous year. The airport occupies a 28 ha (69-acre) site on the southern border of RAAF Base Williamtown.
High-speed rail in Australia has been under investigation since the early 1980s. Every Federal Government since this time has investigated the feasibility of constructing high-speed rail with speeds above 200 km/h, but to date nothing has ever gone beyond the detailed planning stage. Various corridors have been proposed for a potential high-speed line. The most commonly suggested route is between Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, which, as of 2023, is the world's sixth busiest air corridor.
National Jet Systems, formerly Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Airline Services, is an Australian regional airline based at Adelaide Airport, operating regular scheduled services as part of the QantasLink brand.
Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited (APAC) is an unlisted company and owner of two Australian airports: Melbourne Airport and Launceston Airport. Each airport is operated by an airport lessee company, in which APAC has a controlling interest: Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd and Australia Pacific Airports (Launceston) Pty Ltd respectively.
Aviation in Australia began in 1920 with the formation of Qantas, which became the flag carrier of Australia. The Australian National Airways (ANA) was the predominant domestic carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s. After World War II, Qantas was nationalised and its domestic operations were transferred to Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) in 1946. The Two Airlines Policy was formally established in 1952 to ensure the viability of both airlines. However, ANA's leadership was quickly eroded by TAA, and it was acquired by Ansett Transport Industries in 1957. The duopoly continued for the next four decades. In the mid-1990s TAA was merged with Qantas and later privatised. Ansett collapsed in September 2001. In the following years, Virgin Australia became a challenger to Qantas. Both companies launched low-cost subsidiaries Jetstar and Tigerair Australia, respectively.
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