Australia's Diverse Airports: Designated Count And Their Roles

Australia has a highly developed aviation market, with 13 international airports and several designated airports across the country. Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport is the largest international airport in Australia, located 9 km south of the city centre in Mascot. Sydney Airport is also the busiest airport in Australia, serving almost 43 million passengers each year. Sydney is followed by Melbourne Airport, also known as Tullamarine Airport, which is the second busiest airport in the country. Melbourne Airport is the main international airport serving the city of Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. It has four terminals: one international terminal, two domestic terminals, and one budget domestic terminal. Other major airports in Australia include Brisbane International Airport, Perth International Airport, Adelaide International Airport, Darwin International Airport, Cairns International Airport, and Gold Coast Airport. These airports offer a wide range of amenities and services to passengers, including lounges, restaurants, shops, foreign currency exchange counters, and ground transportation options.

Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport

The airport is situated next to Botany Bay and covers 907 hectares of land, with three runways. It was first established in 1919 as a private airfield by Nigel Love, a World War I pilot who wanted to set up the nation's first aircraft manufacturing company. The land was initially a bullock paddock, and the flat surface made it ideal for aircraft. The first flight from Mascot took place in November 1919, and the airport was officially opened in January 1920.

Over the years, the airport has undergone modernisation and upgrades, including the construction of paved runways and a new international terminal in the 1960s. In 1970, the new terminal was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The airport has three passenger terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminals 2 and 3 for domestic flights.

Brisbane International Airport

Brisbane Airport is located 22 km from the city centre and is conveniently accessible by road and rail. The airport has two passenger terminals, one for international flights and one for domestic flights, as well as a cargo terminal, a general aviation terminal, and two runways. The international terminal has 14 bays with aerobridges, four of which are capable of handling A380 aircraft. The domestic terminal is a two-storey curved building with three satellite arms, serving Qantas and QantasLink at the northern end and Virgin Australia at the southern end, with other carriers located in the central area.

The airport covers an area of 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres), making it the largest airport in Australia by land area. The site was formerly a Brisbane residential suburb called Cribb Island, which was demolished and raised with sand to reduce the risk of flooding. Brisbane Airport is the primary hub for Virgin Australia, a major hub for Qantas, and a secondary hub for Qantas' low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar.

Brisbane Airport has won several awards, including being voted the Best Airport in Australia/Pacific in 2016, 2017, and 2019 at the Skytrax World Airport Awards. It was also rated as Australia's No. 1 airport for quality of service for ten consecutive years (2005-2014) and ranked as the third-best airport in the world for airports servicing 20-30 million passengers annually.

The airport has a range of services and amenities, including medical assistance, lost and found facilities, currency exchange, baby care facilities, food and beverage outlets, and parking. Brisbane Airport is currently undergoing expansion, with plans for a third terminal to service both domestic and international flights.

Melbourne International Airport

The airport was established in 1928 when a Pitcairn Aircraft landed on a cow pasture strip north of Kissimmee Highway. It was designated a fuelling stop for airmail service in late 1928. In 1933, the City of Melbourne acquired 160 acres (65 ha) west of Indian River Bluff to develop as a new airport, which was later operated as Naval Air Station Melbourne during World War II.

In 2015, the airport was renamed Orlando Melbourne International Airport to brand it as a less congested alternative to Orlando's other commercial airports. However, due to a lawsuit, the airport became Melbourne Orlando International Airport in 2021.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport covers 2,420 acres (979 ha) and has three asphalt runways. The airport is served by various airlines, including Delta Air Lines, US Airways, and American Airlines, offering flights to destinations such as Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C.

The airport has undergone significant development, including a $72 million renovation and expansion project adding new facilities and amenities. It is home to tenants in aerospace, defence, and manufacturing, contributing over $3 billion annually to the Space Coast's economy.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport provides convenient services such as rental car options, parking close to ticketing and security, dining options, and an expanded international baggage claim area.

Perth International Airport

Perth Airport (IATA: PER, ICAO: YPPH) is one of the busiest airports in Australia, serving Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It is located approximately 10-15km from the city centre and is one of three civilian airports in the Perth metropolitan area, alongside Jandakot Airport and Rottnest Island Airport. Perth Airport is also one of two international airports in the state, the other being Broome International Airport.

The airport is currently the fourth busiest in Australia by passenger numbers, with over 12.6 million travellers passing through in 2012. It is operated by Perth Airport Pty Ltd, which holds a 99-year lease from the Commonwealth Government. The airport covers 2,105 hectares of land and has five terminals: four main terminals (T1-T4) and one minor terminal for general aviation.

T1, formerly known as the International Terminal, handles international flights and some domestic flights, including those operated by Virgin Australia. T2 caters primarily for regional services, including flights operated by Virgin Australia Regional and Alliance Airlines. T3 and T4 are used exclusively by Qantas for domestic and international flights.

Perth Airport has a long history, with civilian air services for Perth originally provided from Maylands Aerodrome before moving to the current site in the 1930s. The airport was granted international status in 1952 and was renamed Perth Airport in 1953. It has undergone numerous upgrades and expansions over the years, including the addition of new terminals and the construction of a new control tower, which is the tallest in Australia.

The airport offers various facilities and services, including dining, shopping, lounges, and duty-free shopping. It also provides meteorological services and has dedicated spotting areas for aviation enthusiasts.

Adelaide International Airport

Australia has 11 domestic and international airports. Adelaide International Airport (ADL) is one of them. It is located 6.44 km or 6 km (3.7 mi) from the city centre, offering easy connectivity. Established in 1921, it is currently the fifth-busiest airport in Australia, serving more than 8.5 million passengers in FY24.

The airport covers a total area of 785 hectares (1,940 acres) and has one terminal that caters to both international and domestic flights. The terminal features several high-amenity airline lounges spread across two levels. Level one includes the Plaza Premium international lounge for international passengers, while Virgin Australia and Rex Airlines operate lounges for domestic passengers on level two. Qantas also operates its 'Qantas Club' lounge complex, which is open to domestic and international business class passengers and Qantas Club membership holders.

Adelaide Airport provides food and beverage outlets, currency exchange facilities, and a children's play area. It is also the first airport in Australia and the second in the world to introduce Google Street View technology, allowing passengers to explore the airport virtually before their travel.

The airport is served by various airlines, including American Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar Airways, AirAsia X, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysia Airlines.

Adelaide Airport has undergone several upgrades and expansions over the years. In 2005, a new dual international/domestic terminal was opened, replacing the previous terminals. The airport was redeveloped at a cost of $260 million, addressing the limited capacity and lack of aerobridges in the old terminal. The new terminal is approximately 850 m (2,790 ft) long and can handle 27 aircraft, including an Airbus A380, simultaneously, processing 3,000 passengers per hour.

In 2013, a new control tower was built, doubling the height of the old tower. In 2018, Singapore Airlines upgraded its Singapore-Adelaide route to the new Airbus A350-900, and Fiji Airways introduced the Boeing 737-8 MAX on the Nadi-Adelaide route. In 2019, China Southern, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysia Airlines increased their services to meet the rising demand.

Adelaide Airport continues to expand and enhance its facilities to accommodate growing passenger numbers and improve the travel experience for its customers.

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