Adelaide Airport chief wants open discussion about the night curfew and its economic impact

ADELAIDE Airport chairman Rob Chapman is urging community discussion about the airport’s overnight curfew, saying changing the passenger flight ban by as little as an hour could create a $500 million economic boost.

• SA’s infrastructure wishlist: Adelaide Airport, outback roads and rail
• Airport runway extension will draw thousands to Kangaroo Island

ADELAIDE Airport chairman Rob Chapman is urging community discussion about the airport’s overnight curfew, saying changing the passenger flight ban by as little as an hour could create a $500 million economic boost.

In an interview with The Advertiser about innovation, Mr Chapman said the airport wanted a “smarter” system so export businesses and tourists could capitalise on new international markets.

Passenger-carrying jet flights are banned between 11pm and 6am, because of the surrounding residential areas.

So-called shoulder periods of one hour at each end of the curfew allow a maximum of eight international passenger flight arrivals weekly but no departures.

Mr Chapman said a curfew discussion would be formally raised “at the appropriate time”, but he highlighted reports by professional services firms Deloitte and KPMG that make the economic case for greater flexibility to help attract more flights, such as to the United States’ west coast.

Adelaide Airport chairman Rob Chapman

“There have been independent reports done — not by the airport but by independents — that said without the expenditure of one dime you could add four or five hundred million dollars to the local economy by more effectively managing those time constraints — as little as an hour at either end,” said Mr Chapman, who is also the chairman of the Adelaide Football Club and the state’s investment attraction agency.

“Now I know that has im­plications in terms of noise, but in a capital-constrained environment and an environment where governments don’t have a lot of money to spend on infrastructure ... what’s the trade-off for a $500 million injection into the economy?

“If someone can come up with a better equation without spending money, I’d be all ears and I’d be the biggest advocate for it.”

A major economic report released in 2014, with backers including Flinders University and KPMG, found “some flexibility in the operation of the airport curfew” would allow some airlines, particularly international operators, to strengthen the case for extra services to Adelaide.

Changing the passenger flight ban at Adelaide Airport by as little as an hour could create a $500 million economic boost.

“Domestic operators could schedule services right up to the current curfew hours with some flexibility to arrive late, if for reasonable operational reasons there are significant and unforeseen network delays,” the Shaping the Future of SA report says.

A Deloitte report released last month said a number of South Australia’s key sectors for growth — tourism, international education, professional services and high-value agribusiness — were dependent on excellent airport infrastructure and its future capacity.

Total aircraft movements through the airport are predicted to grow by about 3 per cent annually, Deloitte says, servicing a 5.4 per cent annual increase in international passengers to an increased amount of destinations linked by direct flights.

Adelaide Airport last financial year recorded international passenger growth of 11 per cent, the highest of major Australian capitals, and had more than 8 million passengers in total. This has underpinned a record high tourism expenditure in South Australia of $6.3 billion, up 2 per cent.

Three other Australian airports have curfews — Sydney, Gold Coast (Coolangatta) and Essendon. Adelaide’s curfew does not apply to freight cargo.

A spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce, who oversees federal airport regulations, said the Government had no plans to amend the curfew.

“Any change to the curfew would need to be locally driven and balance the interests of the community with the economic interests of South Australia, as well as considering operational issues,” he said.

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis, whose West Torrens electorate abuts the airport, said: “The proximity of the airport to the city generates more economic activity relative to other jurisdictions and makes it easier to do business in South Australia. However, it also has implications for residents.

“The social licence for operating an airport so close to the CBD is a curfew, and we have the balance right in South Australia.”

Opposition transport spokesman David Pisoni said the Liberals would not change the curfew.

SA Best leader Nick Xenophon said any changes would require enormous community consultation.

West Torrens Mayor John Trainer said there was scope for minor change but the concept of a curfew was sacrosanct.