“Highly critical”: Whyalla Airport in need of key upgrade to accommodate bigger Qantas planes

Several million dollars may need to be injected into a key regional airport to accommodate bigger Qantas planes.

Whyalla Airport will need a vital upgrade, likely costing millions, to cater for the larger Qantas planes that the national carrier plans to operate in and out of the steel city.

Qantas, the only airline servicing Whyalla, recently announced plans to phase out the smaller Q200 and Q300 turboprop aircraft out of its regional fleet and replace them with the faster and newer Q400 planes, which have up to 78 seats – dozens more than the older planes.

Whyalla City Council, which operates the airport, said the move will benefit the city but its airport will need an upgrade to accommodate the heavier planes.

The newer Q400 planes, which have up to 78 seats – dozens more than the older planes will look to replace the older Q200 and Q300 turboprop aircraft.

Mayor Phill Stone said the airstrip at the facility was constructed decades ago, with council currently undertaking an independent assessment to understand what work will be needed.

“This size aircraft is vastly different to the 300s that have been operating here,” he said.

“(The airstrip) will have to be upgraded but we’ve still got to wait on the report to find out just to what extent.”

In a statement, a council spokesman said once that work has been finalised, it “will put strategies in place – including working with other parties – to ensure the necessary works can occur in time for the changeover”.

But while the details remain up in the air, Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said the city will not be able to bear the cost of the upgrade.

He said Qantas estimates the bill could be between $10 and $25 million.

“The people of Whyalla simply cannot carry that cost,” he said.

The airport currently costs council around $800,000 annually, with an Essential Services Commission of SA report pointing to the facility as the driver of the council’s debt.

Both Mr Ramsey and Mayor Stone said they want the state and federal government to help fund the upgrade.

Rowan Ramsey and Mayor Phill Stone said they want the state and federal government to help fund the upgrade. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Mayor Stone said they will also be discussing funding with some of the major corporations using the airport, including Santos and GFG Alliance.

He said while council will need to inject some financing into the airport they will be seeking to “attract as much external funding as possible”, with the facility to play a “highly critical” role in bringing in people for a number of government projects in the region.

These include the construction of a world-leading renewable hydrogen power station, electrolyser and storage facility.

“Whyalla Airport is highly critical in the future of our hydrogen industry, our green steel industry, so we would certainly be having good talks with both federal and state government and our corporates,” Mayor Stone said.

Qantas became the sole airline operating out of the city after Rex Airlines axed its Whyalla-Adelaide route last year.

The carrier did not respond to questions around cost but a spokesperson said the airline was “working with local stakeholders to ensure we can operate the larger Q400 to Whyalla as we gradually phase out the Q300 and Q200 aircraft”.