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Battle lines

ustralia’s airports are in the small, show airports have invested Qantas calls Canberra Airport a Airlines who use the nation’s
midst of a significant capital $15 billion since 2002, including “glorious” terminal. seth jaworski airports are unhappy with what they
works program to increase some $10 billion on aeronautical are being charged to use the facilities
capacity and update existing improvements. and argue the levels of service at a
infrastructure at a time “Australian airports rate well number of airports are not up to par.
A when all indications point against their global counterparts and Their frustrations, along with the
to a near doubling of passenger traffic have maintained high-quality facilities views of the airports and industry
over the next two decades. for passengers even as they’ve invested bodies, have been expressed through
A bigger terminal at Adelaide, new to support significant growth,” AAA the Productivity Commission’s inquiry
runways at Brisbane and Perth and a chief executive Caroline Wilkie said in into the economic regulation of airport
rebuilt domestic precinct for Virgin early September. services that the federal government
Australia at Melbourne are just four “This is a great endorsement of our ‘Australian launched in June.
examples up on the drawing board. industry and the regulatory approach “The purpose of this inquiry is
On top of that, the first sod has that has supported robust commercial airports rate to determine the effectiveness and
been turned at Badgerys Creek in agreements with airlines to support efficiency of the current arrangements
Sydney’s west, where a new airport efficiency and improve the travel well against and determine whether they remain
is expected to be operational by the experience of passengers.” appropriate,” the Productivity
mid-2020s. However, the billions spent and the their global Commission says on its website.
Figures from the Australian expected $20 billion to be invested The terms of reference show
Airports Association (AAA), the over the coming decade, according to counterparts.’ the inquiry will consider the
industry group representing the an AAA survey, represented only part “appropriate economic regulation
nation’s airports both large and of the story. CAROLINE WILKIE of airport services, including the
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