Brisbane Airport sees biggest increase in passengers for 5 years

BRISBANE Airport has recorded its biggest increase in domestic passengers in five years and a string of new services is expected to push numbers up even further over the next 12 months.

BRISBANE Airport has recorded its biggest increase in domestic passengers in five years and a string of new services is expected to push numbers up even further over the next 12 months.

Almost 263,000 extra people flew in and out of the growing hub from other parts of the country in 2017-18, figures show. And international traffic rose by nearly 6 per cent, with boosted capacity to and from China and Hong Kong leading the way.

Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said the international market was being driven by economic and population growth – and unique tourist attractions in the state.

“This is why BAC aggressively competes to attract new airlines, bigger and more efficient aircraft and additional flights from our city to unserved destinations,” Mr de Graaff said.

He said the airport would continue to ramp up facilities and services in the lead-up to the opening of a new runway in 2020.

Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff.

International arrival and departure numbers climbed by just over 300,000 to 5.89 million during 2017-18.

China and Hong Kong was up 20 per cent thanks to additional direct flights including daily China Eastern services to Shanghai, the introduction of Hainan Airlines flights to Shenzen, an Air China route to Beijing and expanded aircraft capacity on others.

Passengers to and from Malaysia increased 19.6 per cent and the Indian market was up 14.7 per cent, topping 100,000 passengers for the first time.

That is expected to keep rising with more weekly Singapore Airlines flights offering handy connections through Changi Airport.

Domestic passengers rose 1.5 per cent to over 17.5 million, helped by more seats to Queensland regional destinations including Proserpine, Mackay and Townsville.