Uses Avalon Airport as it go InternationalApril 22, 2013
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| Avalon Airport was granted International Airport status last year. It is the second busiest airport in Melbourne. Cebu Pacific is due to start incredibly densely packed A330 flights between the Philippines and Australia before the end of the year. Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings said Cebu Pacific is the airport's first international carrier. |
A second international airport in Victoria is a step closer, following an agreement between Australia and the Philippines.
The
memorandum of understanding will allow Australian and Philippine
carriers to operate a daily international service between the
Philippines and Avalon Airport.
In October last year, the federal
government approved changes to Avalon's lease arrangement, allowing it
to build an international terminal.
Avalon Airport's chief
executive Justin Giddings says more infrastructure is needed for the
airport to operate international services.
"There's different
screening for international. You can't take liquids through for example.
So there are some things that we do need to do," he said.
"But look, (it's) very exciting. It's one of our key goals to become international."
Mr Giddings is hoping the airport can secure agreements with other Asian countries.
"Some
of them don't need those air rights decision because we have an open
skies agreement with those countries. So they may be the first," he
said.
"We're getting a lot closer than what we were 12 months ago."
Geelong Mayor Keith Fagg says the deal will provide a major boost for the city's economy.
"The
spin-off benefits we believe for our whole economy and community will
be significant, not only in trade in import-export business, but also
tourism," he told ABC local radio.
"There are many areas we think this will have a positive impact on our economy."
Mr Fagg says the next step will be to push for a rail link.
"The possibility of Avalon being a low cost international airport for Victoria is really exciting," he said.
"The more the traveller numbers come in through the airport, the more compelling case is for the rail link."
Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings said revealed that Cebu Pacific's original preference was to fly to Sydney but was hampered by flight restrictions between 11pm and 6am.
ReplyDelete"The airline we are speaking to now was looking to come to Sydney but the curfew is the killer," says Giddings.
"If they miss curfew the cost of putting up 400 passengers (in a hotel overnight) is exorbitant. It's a low-cost airline and they can't absorb that (cost)."
Note...Cebu Pacific...will have to offer full service...if it wants me to fly...and must be under PAL prices ..seeing that I have to drive for 1 hour to get there...and needs to upgrade its security...of leaving bags unattended at checkin counter that I saw in hong kong last September...otherwise its a good airline ..???.
DeleteGo 5J!
ReplyDelete