Sydney Airport waits for western Sydney airport plans

Sydney Airport is still waiting on the government to provide its development plans for the new western Sydney airport.

Kerrie Mather at Sydney airport. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Sydney Airport is still waiting on the federal government to hand over its proposed development plan for the new western Sydney airport despite assurances it would be delivered after the federal election.

Sydney Airport has been waiting since December to receive the so-called notice of intention, but the process has been twice delayed.

The first delay occurred after the government was inundated with more than 4500 submissions to the airport’s environmental impact statement, and the second delay came with the federal election.

“The commonwealth indicated prior to the election that it intends to issue a notice of intention to Sydney Airport in 2016 and there is no change to that advice,” Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather said.

Ms Mather said Sydney Airport would evaluate the western Sydney airport opportunity using the same rigour that it applied to all capital expenditures. But she warned that as the second airport was a greenfield development, it would carry more risk and higher return requirements than other opportunities.

Ms Mather made her comments as Sydney Airport released its half-year financial results, revealing a 19 per cent surge in profit to $159.6 million on the back of a big increase in international travellers and higher retail sales.

International and domestic passenger numbers both rose in the six months to June, with total numbers jumping 6.7 per cent to 20.3 million, which helped boost revenues at the airport by 11 per cent to $661.9m.

The airport plans to increase its aeronautical services charge by 4.8 per cent in the second half of the year to reflect improved services and investment.

Seven new airlines started flying to Sydney airport in 2015.