Airports in Australia: description, rating, passenger flow

In Australia, airports are the main way to communicate with the outside world due to the remoteness of the Green Continent from other continents. Therefore, close attention is paid to air modes of transport, large funds are invested in their development. In addition, in a country with large sizes and low population density, regional air routes are popular.

How many airports in Australia

According to various sources, about 440 airfields of various classes operate in the country: international, regional, local, private, military, seasonal, helipads. This number is constantly changing: some of them open, some revoke the license. But among them, only 15 can boast of passenger traffic of more than 1 million people.

Airservices Australia has ranked Australia's largest and most profitable airports.

The most popular domestic routes in 2017 were:

• Melbourne-Sydney (9.1 million passengers);
• Brisbane-Sydney (4.7 million);
• Brisbane-Melbourne (3.5 million);
• Sydney Gold Coast (2.7 million);
• Adelaide-Melbourne (2.4 million);
• Melbourne-Perth (2 million).

Sydney Airport Kingsford Smith

It is Australia's largest international airport with passenger traffic in excess of 40 million. Moreover, the number of people who use the services of the company is growing by 1-2 million annually. The port terminal is the longest in the world; in 2017, 348 904 aircraft were received and sent here. Kingsford Smith Airport serves 46 local and 43 international destinations.

The runway appeared in 1919 at a pasture site 8 km south of Sydney's center. The surface of the field was flat, rammed with buffaloes and ideally plucked by sheep, so the organizer of the air club Nigel Love did not have to make efforts to equip it. The first flight took place in November of the same year, but regular flights began in 1924.

Today, the main airport of Sydney in Australia has 3 passenger terminals and the same number of runways: 7/25 2530 m long, 16L / 34R (2438 m) and 16R / 34L (3962 m). It is the main hub for one of the oldest international airlines Qantas. The airport terminal can be reached via the Airport Link underground line. In addition, large motorways from various directions lead here.

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport

This is Australia's second largest airport with a passenger flow of more than 30 million people. Located on a wide plain (132 m above sea level), 23 km from the center of Melbourne, in the northwestern suburb of Tullamarine.

The airport terminal consists of four passenger terminals: one international, two domestic and one budget domestic. The field has two runways: 9/27 (2286 m) and 16/34 (3657 m). In 2016, the organization serviced 234,789 aircraft.

Airport connectivity is via the 8-lane Tullamarine Freeway (M2) motorway from downtown Melbourne. In 2015, another Western Ring Road (M80) was made to the airfield. Motor vehicles are ready to accept 5 large parking lots, working around the clock. Passengers, as a rule, get either by taxi (the most popular way) or by Skybus Super Shuttle express buses running from the Southern Cross railway station.

Brisbane Airport

Australia's third largest airport in a year receives over 20 million passengers. It is an air gateway for both the Brisbane millionaire city and the whole of Southeast Queensland. It serves 30 airlines with 29 international and 50 domestic destinations. The largest operators are Virgin Australia, Qantas, Jetstar and Tigerair Australia.

The airport has international and domestic passenger terminals, a cargo terminal, a general aviation terminal, as well as three runways with a length of 1700 m, 3300 m and 3560 m. In 2017, the company served 192 917 flights.

Perth Airport, Australia

It is the main hub in the west of the country. Since 1997, it has been operated by the private company Perth Airport Pty Limited under a 99-year lease. In recent years, passenger traffic has consistently exceeded 10 million people, having increased more than 3 times over 15 years. This is due to the rapid growth of the mining industry in the region, contributing to an increase in the population of the city and the expansion of business activity.

Interestingly, in 2012, Perth Airport was named the worst among international in Australia. Over $ 1 billion was allocated for its modernization over the next 5 years. Efforts were not in vain: in 2018, Perth Airport was recognized as the best in the country in terms of quality of service. Today, the facility has four main terminals, one secondary for servicing charters and two runways: 3/21 (3444 m) and 6/24 (2163 m).

Adelaide Airport

Located in the suburbs of West Beach about 6 km west of the city center. In operation since 1955, in 2005 a new double international domestic terminal was opened, which received numerous awards. In 2006, it was named the second best international hub in the world (with the number of passengers from 5 to 15 million people). In addition, it has repeatedly become Australia's best regional airport in 2006, 2009 and 2011.

During the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the Adelaide air gate experienced a record increase in passenger traffic: by 11% for international destinations and 1.5% for domestic and regional flights. This made it possible to achieve a historic result - 8,090,000 passengers carried.