Sydney Named ‘Most Efficient Airport’

Sydney Airport has welcomed a four percent increase in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first six months ending 30 June 2011.

The $381.8 million in earnings was lead by the 1.9 percent increase in traffic growth for the period, despite natural disasters disrupting the first and second quarters of the year.

Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather said the outstanding performance for the first six months was recognised by the Air Transport Research Society, which named Sydney Airport the most efficient airport in the Oceania region as part of a global airport performance benchmarking and excellence awards.

“I am delighted to have commenced in my new role as managing director and chief executive officer of Sydney Airport. I look forward to working with our valued airline partners to deliver the products and services they need to serve their passengers and ensure Sydney Airport continues to be Australia’s premier gateway,” Ms Mather added.

The total revenue from all areas of the business increased by 4.4 per cent over the previous corresponding period (pcp) to A$472.4million, this was assisted by the domestic capacity additions by Jetstar, the commencement of wide-body A330-200 services to Perth by Virgin Australia, and the upgrade of six weekly services to Perth with B747-400 aircraft by Qanats.

(Source: eTravelblackboard, 21st July 2011)

100 Years of Sydney Airport Flying

It was a flight that lasted less than 10 minutes and reached the not-so-dizzying height of 40 metres, but it marks an important milestone in Sydney Airport's history.

On April 18, 1911, Captain Joseph Joel Hammond flew a Bristol box-kite bi-plane over the site that today forms part of Sydney Airport.

Now, 100 years later, staff at the airport are celebrating the anniversary of that first flight that heralded the start of modern aviation in Sydney.

Advertisement: Story continues below Born in New Zealand, Capt Hammond was an early pioneer of aviation, known to his adoring public as "The Flying Man" and "The Bird-man".

His flights attracted huge public interest, with thousands of Sydneysiders buying tickets to witness the incredible spectacle of a man flying.

Capt Hammond's bi-plane weighed about 500kg and his first journey took him just 40 metres high and 10 kilometres in distance.

Back then, the area he flew over was Ascot Racecourse - today, it forms part of Sydney Airport's east-west runway.

These days, an A380 taking off at Sydney airport weighs 560 tonnes, cruises at a height of about 12km and can travel more than 15,000km.

The first passenger to fly from the site was Capt Hammond's wife, Ethelwyn.

"I always feel quite comfy when I am in the bi-plane with my husband," Mrs Hammond was reported as saying in April 1911.

Today, more than 35 million passengers fly in and out of Sydney airport every year.

Capt Hammond went on to fly as a test pilot in World War I when an aircraft he was flying on a war bonds promotional tour crashed into a tree.

He died just seven weeks before the war ended in 1918.

The next year, flying enthusiast WB Love chose the cow pastures at Mascot as a site to establish an aircraft manufacturing facility and Sydney Airport was born.

It is one of the oldest continuing airports in the world.

On Monday, Sydney Airport staff will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first flight with a barbecue at Hammond Place.

A plaque marking Capt Hammond's achievement will also be unveiled.

"Capt Hammond was obviously a man with an adventurous spirit, but I doubt that he could have foreseen how Australia's aviation industry would develop over the next 100 years," Sydney Airport CEO Russell Balding said.

This would appear to be true.

"What's the use of long flights," Capt Hammond said in April 1911, "unless you're competing for a prize?"

Second Sydney Airport in the Spotlight Again

Federal Transport Minister Albanese has once more raised the issue of a second Sydney airport - while spelling out some non-negotiables.

There's already a joint Federal and State government study into the issue underway, but Albanese obviously felt it important to clarify what is and what is not on the table.

The report from that study is due later this year, but it won't be the best possible result because the committee is constrained from canvassing all possible options.

It can't, for example, decide that there's no need for a second Sydney airport, because the Minister doesn't want to hear that.

It also can't recommend more efficient use of the existing airport, because the Minister has said that, "On my watch, there will be no shift in the curfew or the cap on movements at Sydney Airport".

And it also can't bring Bankstown Airport into the equation as part of a solution, because the Minister has been loudly unequivocal about that airport remaining RPT free.

Despite those constraints, the Minister said this week that, "One of the things that we've done is make sure that we remove the politics from this. In the past it has suffered becaue politics has interfered with good policy making. That's why when we established the committee it was independent of government, at arm's length. There are no politicians on this committee."

Minister Albanese also insisted, at the same doorstop interview, that the study committee has been given "very wide terms of reference".

And, "The committee is examining all of the options. I'm letting them do their work without ruling things in or out. The Government has a position of not proceeding with Badgerys Creek, but otherwise the committee's been allowed to do its work."

On another front, one might hope that such a wide-ranging study would factor in the high-speed rail concept, for which a separate preliminary study is also underway. After all, the location of a second Sydney airport might have implications for such a rail project.

Find Sydney Accommodation at www.MetroHotels.com.au