A Brisbane curfew calamity

This is opposite to the very real issue of endless complaints by airlines arising from airborne and on-ground holding delays, but an insidious campaign for a curfew continues nevertheless, believed to be the subject of a parliamentary enquiry timed to meet the release of BACL’s 2014 master plan. Doubtless BACL and every operator would like to know the outcome before finalising the master plan.

One high-profile MP – who has been named as an instigator of the curfew push – holds an electorate under many of the flightpaths of the planned new runway. And the airport lies in the electorate of the Treasurer, who in opinion polls is facing electoral defeat in September. If power brokers decide to use a curfew to buy votes…? Affected jet flights – domestic and international – around 160 each week between 2300 and 0600 during daylight saving time, would have to be rescheduled. But they could only be rescheduled if they could get appropriate slots at other airports and in the process destroying many connections.

No-one would want pre‑2300 landing slots and as Brisbane is now subject to two slot and traffic management systems, there appears to be no early morning slots left.

One solution could be an unpopular mass reschedule of turboprops to pre‑0600 departures to free later slots.

Brisbane is strategically situated as an alternate for Sydney and Melbourne from the US and Asia, particularly in winter when many US/Sydney flights track over or near Brisbane to minimise jetstream headwinds. This sees up to 10 or more internationals divert to Brisbane between 0300 and 0500. (Some 32 Sydney-bound heavy aircraft diverted to Brisbane over four nights recently. ) A curfew in Brisbane would require far costlier and less favourable diversions.

Two networks that cover a vastarea and support many millions of people, including in six nearby Pacific countries, are the freight lifeblood of people from Moree through to the Torres Strait Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and out to Fiji. Much of this freight originates in Brisbane, but a significant proportion arrives from southern capitals and Perth on the night freight fleet well before 0600.

This timing enables transhipment to domestic services including to a 737, nine turboprops, three piston-engined aircraft and four international jets. Additionally some pre‑0600 Qantas scheduled services operating to the north also carry freight. Under the current campaign, jets would have to bid for slots after 0600. It would be a hopeless situation.

The freight network is set up for businesses to operate efficiently. People on the way to work can collect overnight consignments at the freight office. In Cape York, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and other island nations, people can expect their freight on the afternoon regional flights that connect with the early morning jets from Brisbane.

Throughout this vast area something urgently needed can be sourced from Brisbane (or even as far away as Perth) and it will arrive the next afternoon.

A Brisbane curfew would add a full day to this highly valued and depended-on service. Just imagine being unable to deliver medical supplies and life-supporting drugs.

Air traffic control is often forced

. . . an insidious campaign for a curfew continues. . .

to implement instrument approaches for Brisbane traffic management reasons and deny traffic overflying suburbs to and from nearby airports clearance up into controlled steps, giving a flawed perception of more and concentrated noise. This is almost solely due to runway capacity limits and will increase until the new runway is built.

However, it is a transient factor not a valid noise reason for a curfew.

While the terms of reference are not yet set, the instigators might ponder this outcome, which would rest solely on their selfish, short-sighted shoulders.