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Melbourne Airport

January

Qantas aircraft at Sydney Airport. The airport has big plans to upgrade large parts of the country’s busiest terminals.

Airport spending doubles to $30 billion. The catch? Higher fares

The Productivity Commission says light touch regulation saves consumers’ hip pockets. But airlines worry that they, and passengers, will foot an epic bill.

January

Queues at Tullamarine Airport International Terminal in Melbourne.

Melbourne Airport flags $4.5b investment in international terminal

The airport’s capital expenditure program is set to ramp up, sparking tensions with big airlines over passenger charges.

Stacked Farm is planning to rapidly expand how much fresh produce it harvests.

Australia’s next robot farm wants to grow your burger garnish

Investors have lost billions on vertical farming start-ups, but a Gold Coast business says it has a model that stacks up, luring investment from Tribeca and Tayside.

December 2024

A Qantas Airbus A380 at Sydney Airport. A shortage of planes means airfares are unlikely to fall dramatically over the next year.

Surging international flights leave airports bullish for year ahead

A return of American and Chinese carriers has pushed overseas routes to their highest levels since the pandemic. It may not mean dramatically cheaper fares.

As Senior Vice President in the Aviation Partnerships division at Sydney Airport, Christina Werkstetter surely has one of the world’s best jobs.

Want to fly international business class every month? Try this job

Christina Werkstetter is Sydney Airport’s secret weapon when it comes to getting new airlines to fly into Australia. The perks aren’t half bad either.

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Qantas and Jetstar aircraft at Sydney airport.

Strap in for a bumpy summer as old planes and surging demand collide

The high number of flight delays and cancellations were meant to have been smoothed out by now. But a crunch in the number of planes is dragging it out.

November 2024

Vesna Poljak AFR companies editor with Sydney Airport boss Scott Charlton and Qantas head of international and freight Cam Wallace on Monday.

Qantas claims network advantage will outgun bulked up Qatar

Qantas international boss Cam Wallace says the wet leasing arrangement that facilitates the partnership between Virgin and Qatar cannot be indefinite.

A grassfire broke out at Sydney Airport after reports of an explosion on a plane.

Sydney Airport grass fire follows suspected Qantas engine failure

Flights out of Sydney Airport were in chaos on Friday after engine failure on a Qantas flight forced an emergency landing and appeared to spark a grass fire.

Airports say Virgin shouldn’t cut Singapore Airlines out of flights to Europe when tying up with Qatar.

Airports say don’t cut Singapore Airlines out of Virgin-Qatar tie-up

The Australian Airports Association has warned the ACCC that passengers will lose a crucial route to Europe if the Qatar-Virgin tie-up is approved in the proposed format.

October 2024

A piece of Melbourne Airport is up for grabs.

Sale docs out for Dexus’ stake in Melbourne, Launceston airports

Melbourne airport revenue grew 17 per cent to $1.2 billion in the 2024 financial year, while EBITDA rose 21 per cent to $82.1 million, according to the teaser.

September 2024

The Qantas engineers’ union says workers won’t accept real wage cuts after three years of wage freezes.

Qantas engineers strike goes national, targets peak-hour flights

Qantas engineers critical to aircraft maintenance will stop work at major airports around the country next week, threatening to disrupt peak-hour flights at the start of school holidays.

Planes at Melbourne Airport.

Melbourne Airport cleared for third runway, sparking noise debates

Airport noise has become a growing concern in most major capitals, and the southern capital is tipped to be no exception.

August 2024

Catherine King delivers her aviation white paper in Canberra on Monday.

Labor set to legislate on aviation this year

Long-awaited changes at Sydney Airport finally look to be closer, as Transport Minister Catherine King handed down a timeline on Harris review implementation.

Shelley Faubel and Greg Bisinella say East Melbourne has been inundated with aircraft noise. They want a third runway decision so flight paths can be redesigned.

Why Melbourne’s third runway is now Labor’s time bomb

The airport CEO warns inaction will hurt consumers, as the political weaponisation of aircraft noise threatens to once again become an election theme.

July 2024

Premier Jacinta Allan in Box Hill on Monday.

Allan snubs Melbourne Airport rail for SRL

Premier Jacinta Allan says Melbourne Airport Rail faces at least a four-year delay before construction begins and has instead prioritised the Suburban Rail Loop.

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June 2024

An artist’s impression of a proposed above-ground station at Melbourne Airport.

Melbourne Airport rail mediator rejects underground station

Melbourne Airport has vowed to continue its battle for an underground station despite a report recommending otherwise.

All Bonza aircraft have left the country, but there’s money to be made from the corpse.

Bonza! Hall Chadwick’s fees draw rebuke from 777 Partners

Having Hall Chadwick run a hotline is certainly one way to rack up fees.

May 2024

Australia’s CEOs are paid generous salaries to manage companies.

Where have all the good managers gone?

Readers’ letters on Australia’s dearth of quality managers; a tax system fit for AI; skilled migrants driving Ubers; a proportionate response in Gaza; why live exports matter; and worry over climate change.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rafah strike will be Netanyahu’s undoing

Readers’ letters on horrific scenes in Rafah; The AFR View on ICC indictments; Labor’s equivocating over Gaza; the key to useful airport links; and what’s really behind the $1 billion grant for PsiQuantum.

A Jetstar plane at Melbourne Airport. It is one of the busiest transport hubs in the country, but is only connected to the Melbourne CBD by bus.

Victoria accuses Melbourne Airport of holding rail link ‘hostage’

The airport is run by major investors including the Future Fund, and has a different idea from the government of the transport needed from Melbourne’s CBD.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/melbourne-airport-ch8