A brake on expansion?

Lack of airline profitability could hinder airport infrastructure projects

A lack of profitability at Qantas and Virgin Australia is threatening to derail or slow key infrastructure projects at Australia’s airports in the coming years.

The parlous state of the airlines’ bottom line, with combined first half losses of $327 million and their inability to pass on the carbon tax, has come into sharp focus over plans for a parallel runway at Perth Airport.