Jake Nelson

Brisbane international traffic was 81 per cent of pre-COVID-19 figures in September, and the airport anticipates an extra 1.3 million international seats to be added to and from the city over the coming 12 months as airlines increase capacity and roll out new services.

The joint venture, in place since 2015, will be wound up following signals from the competition watchdog last month that it would not extend its authorisation on the grounds that the deal would provide the “opportunity and incentive to increase prices”.

Flights from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport, as well as Camden and Bankstown Airports and RAAF Richmond, will be changed to accommodate flight paths from WSI. Sydney Airport departures in particular will be more concentrated, with paths over areas including Burwood and Parramatta.

BindiMaps, which uses Bluetooth beacons and smartphone sensors to offer map-based, audio, or text directions in real-time, is part of Sunshine Coast’s push for accessibility. The airport is the first in Australia to install BindiMaps, which is being used in shopping centres and other public buildings.

Rachel Yangoyan, who has been with the national carrier since 2003, recently led the “entry into service” program for Qantas’ fleet renewal, including the Airbus A220 fleet that will replace QantasLink’s ageing Boeing 717 aircraft. The first A220 is due to arrive by the end of this year.

The international terminal saw 1.27 million passengers last month, a 93.1 per cent recovery on September 2019, while the domestic terminals saw 2.10 million passengers, a 91.7 per cent recovery. Total numbers recovered 92.3 per cent, the airport’s strongest post-COVID-19 month yet.