Jetstar wants to fly from Edinburgh (SA)

[Justin L]

This article was in today's (June 16) Adelaide Advertiser. I recall when Jetstar were first about to enter the Adelaide market they wanted to use Edinburgh also.

Jetstar say there are a number of routes they would be interested in flying out of Edinburgh. Any guesses as to what routes may interest them?

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/s...006301,00.html

Jetstar wants to fly from Edinburgh
Article from: The Advertiser
STUART INNES

June 16, 2009 12:01am

JETSTAR will ask the Defence Department for permission to operate from the RAAF's Edinburgh base because of Adelaide Airport's high fees and restrictive curfew.

The 11pm to 6am curfew for flights landing and taking off at Adelaide, coupled with higher-than-average usage fees, is a factor preventing the airline from offering international flights from the city.

At the Australian Tourism Exchange in Melbourne yesterday, Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said "airport costs and charges for Adelaide are one of the highest in the country".

"There are a number of (destinations) we would be interested in running out of Adelaide . . . and there are operational complexities with the curfew," he said.

Jetstar previously has tried to persuade Defence to allow it to run commercial flights through the Edinburgh RAAF base but has been rebuffed.

However, Mr Buchanan said it had not given up and believed such an alternative airport would spark the market.

It is understood this month's change of Defence Minister from Joel Fitzgibbon to John Faulkner could aid the airline's case.

The Defence Department did not return calls for comment last night.

If Edinburgh were used, including for the airline's domestic flights, a bus service would connect with Adelaide city for all flights.

The 25km trip from Edinburgh to central Adelaide would cost up to $50 for a one-way taxi fare.

The RAAF and commercial airlines share facilities in Darwin, Townsville and Williamtown (Newcastle).

Qantas operates three international flights a week through Adelaide, while Jetstar has none.

Mr Buchanan said Adelaide was a "price-sensitive" market and travellers would go to an airport if that was where the low-cost airfares were – as had been the case with Jetstar using Avalon Airport, a 45-minute drive from Melbourne.

Adelaide Airport corporate affairs manager John McArdle admitted airlines had higher fees loaded into their ticket prices for flying through Adelaide – but said they were out of the control of Adelaide Airport Limited.

He also admitted the Federal Government-imposed curfew was restrictive to both airport management and the airline.

"(The) airline charges we impose for airlines to use the runway and taxiways are among the, if not the, lowest of any capital city airport," Mr McArdle said.

"But then you add the passenger facility charge (to help pay for the $260 million terminal), the Federal Government's noise-attenuation tax (to pay for insulating nearby houses), the Airservices Australia en-route (air traffic control) charge and its location-specific area control charges.

"It does put us among the highest in the country."

He said some of those charges were divided by the number of aircraft movements, and because Adelaide Airport had relatively fewer movements, the cost to each traveller was high.

"And I agree with what (Mr Buchanan) says about the curfew – that does restrict us," he said.

Air travel to Australia could be decimated, with a number of flights to the southern hemisphere cut as the cash-strapped British Government confirms it will double air-passenger taxes.

In Britain, airlines have united to appeal to the government to drop plans to lift the duty, warning the recession had already crippled their operations and the tax hike would force them to drop the number of routes.

One in 10 of all flights from UK airports is expected to disappear this year. Already, 40 scheduled flights, including to Australia, have been dropped over the past 12 months because of falling passenger numbers.

A family of four travelling to Australia from Britain would have to pay $700 in aviation taxes under the changes – double the present rate.

[Robert Zweck]

It will never happen.

For many years the military has banned Edinburgh as an alternate for Adelaide.

Go back to Melbourne, etc.

[Raymond Rowe]

Jetstar must have a huge wishlist of alternate airports.I hope the RAAF stick to their principles.

[Owen H]

I think that the RAAF should stick to their principles of restricting military airports for civilian normal operations, however the government should force these airports be available to be nominated as alternate airports.

With all of this talk about saving emissions, what better way than to reduce fuel burn on aircraft, considering that they'd probably never get any visitors anyway. Perfect for the day that you legally need an alternate, but practically won't go there.

While we're fixing the world, Sydney should (like all other curfew restricted airports) be available as an alternate during the curfew period. Again, a huge amount of fuel (and emissions) saved for no cost.

[Brendan Lawrence]

I hope the RAAF sticks to its principles as well and refuses Jetstar access to Edinburgh. I really like the nice modern terminal I fly in and out of at Adelaide and don't want to put up with some sub-standard facility way out of town.

And wouldn't that alienate a huge portion of the customer base we have in Adelaide as well? Apart from ground-breakingly low fares to attract them out woop-woop (like we do to a certain extent with Avalon), I would be sayin 'stuff you' and flying another airline out of the main airport which is only a stone's-throw from the city. I think this is Jetstar "driving efficiencies" (management's much-loved term) a bit too far.

I would've thought the capital city airport we REALLY need to find an alternate to is Sydney! Regarding costs and taxes, etc. (Oh and the delays and curfew issues)

[Nigel C]

With regards to Edinburgh and non-scheduled arrivals...

Edinburgh is one, if not the only, airport in Australia that has trained birds being used for bird dispersal prior to arriving aircraft.

At last years Australian Aviation Wildlife Hazard Group (AAWHG) forum, which I attended, there was a guest speaker from Edinburgh who spoke in depth about Peregrine Falcons (up to 7 or 8?) and 1 Wedge-tailed Eagle which were being trained and used to scare other birds away from the airport boundaries.

The birds were flighted a certain time before scheduled military arrivals and departures and were always back safely on the ground before the aircraft movement occurred. So far the program has been successful.

The addition of non-scheduled, or indeed extra flights thoughout the day could put a program such as this into serious doubt. Having seen the effect that Peregrine Falcons have on other bird life, I think it would be a shame if this program was halted or scaled back due to extra aircraft movements (J* or anyone else). The falcons and eagle need regular training for the job they're tasked to do.

N.B. falconry is illegal in Australia and has been since 1975. The birds being used for dispersal are not catching and killing their quarry but merely chasing them away, so therefore it's not falconry.

[Grahame Hutchison]

I have visions of eight Falcons with one Wedge Tail Eagle flying the number 1 position in a Diamond Nine formation (look out Roulettes).

What an interesting concept for bird dispersal.

[Robert Zweck]

I recall some TAA and Ansett B727s diverting to Edinburgh many years ago due to fog at Adelaide.

I think this raised the ire of the military and the CO told the airlines that it was not to be used as an alternate and you can plan to go elsewhere.

The Edinburgh area is about to become more military with a large Army presence moving into the area.

It would be completely impractical to conduct civil ops from there....I know the area very well. The area is very noise sensitive. The locals get upset when military circuit training is on.

My most recent memory of civil airline ops was when VH-OGM did some circuit training there about 15 years ago.