News

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport's SkyBus signed (02-May-2017) a partnership with Mastercard to implement the Masterpass digital payment solution across all checkout processes. The Masterpass payment solution allows customers to store their card details in a digital wallet for mobile and online payments. With the SkyBus partnership, customers purchasing tickets online can select the Masterpass button to finalise their purchase, eliminating the need to fill out online checkout forms. [more - original PR]

Rossair Charter Services enters the West Australian market with the acquisition of Perth-based Ad Astral Aviation (Business News Western Australia, 03-May-2017). Rossair CEO Warren Puvanendran said the company would initially target the resource industry, with the focus to then include VIP tourism business in 2018.

Hahn Air Systems announced (03-May-2017) a partnership with Pelican Airlines, making it available for HR-169 ticketing in 10 global distribution systems worldwide, under the H1 code. Travel agents can now book the carrier’s domestic services and issue tickets for Pelican Airlines using their standard reservation and ticketing process. [more - original PR]

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport CEO Lyell Strambi forecast (02-May-2017) "sustainable growth" in international traffic to Melbourne stating: "The most important thing we can do is ensure that development of the airport keeps pace with this growing traffic, so that we do not become an artificial constraint on Victoria’s growth". Mr Strambi stated the growing trend of "lighter, longer-range aircraft" such as the Boeing 787 and A350 will help airlines open up "new point-to-point services over longer distances than ever before". [more - original PR]

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport commenced (02-May-2017) work to install an eighth baggage collection carousel at the International Arrivals hall. The equipment will provide 15% more capacity. [more - original PR]

Sydney Airport noted (02-May-2017) international traffic only utilises 15% of slots at the airport but generates 70% of passenger attributable revenues such as aeronautical and retail revenues. The airport expects revenue per slot to increase as more airlines are adopting larger aircraft to meet efficiency. [more - original PR]

Australia's Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher stated (02-May-2017) the aim of the scoping study for Western Sydney Airport's rail infrastructure is "could rail be built by the time the airport opens or if not how soon afterwards". The result is expected by mid 2017. [more - original PR]

South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) confirmed Fiji as the top tourist destination in the Pacific with 40% of visitor arrivals in 2016 (SPTO, 02-May-2017). SPTO stated Fiji recorded a total of 792,320 visitors in 2016 out of a possible two million visitors to the Pacific during the same period. The figures were compiled by the SPTO Research and Statistics Division.

Sydney Airport stated (02-May-2017) the airport has a catchment population of around 7.5 million people, equivalent to 31% of Australia's total population. The airport is the country's main international gateway, handling 40% of international traffic to Australia. [more - original PR]

Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed (02-May-2017) the Government will construct the Western Sydney Airport (WSA). Details of the plan to build WSA are expected to be announced in the Budget which will be released the week beginning 08-May-2017. This follows the announcement by Sydney Airport Group, that it will not take up the opportunity under its 'right of first refusal' to build and operate the new airport at Badgerys Creek. [more - original PR]