Merren McArthur of Virgin: Freight curfew at a handbrake

Restrictions on freight during the Sydney airport curfew will put a handbrake on economic growth, a Virgin exec says.

Merren McArthur, CEO of Virgin Australia regional airlines and cargo. Picture: Hollie Adams.

Restrictions on freight operations during the curfew period at the nation’s biggest airport will put a handbrake on economic growth, the senior Virgin Australia executive responsible for the airline’s cargo operations has warned.

Merren McArthur, CEO of Virgin Australia regional airlines and cargo, said the group wanted a change to the rules so new-generation, fuel-­efficient and low-noise freighters could operate in and out of Sydney Airport during the 11pm to 6am curfew.

Under existing rules in the Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995, the British Aerospace 146 is the only freighter that can land during the curfew, but the concern is that this means that newer and quieter cargo aircraft can’t operate during the curfew.

“The current restrictions on freighter operations in and out of Sydney airport are constraining competition and growth in the freight industry and this will inevitably constrain Australian economic growth,” Ms McArthur told The Australian.

She said that while the proposed $5.3 billion Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek “will offer a valuable alternative for freighter operations, that is a fair way off still and even then we believe Mascot will continue to be an important hub for cargo connecting on domestic and international passenger aircraft”.

Virgin has also been an advocate for Badgerys Creek, which is a greenfield project, being unencumbered by a curfew, which is how the Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports operate.

Ms McArthur also said she was “definitely starting to see green shoots” in the market for charter services to the resources sector, a development that comes as iron producers continue to invest in their assets to meet China-led demand. It was early days, but there was “increased activity and increased optimism”, based on the inquiries from existing and other customers.

The comments on the freighter restrictions come as the government is developing a national freight strategy, with Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester having recently said that using new, improved aircraft to reduce noise would be considered as part of its review.