Gold Coast Airport
Encyclopedia
Gold Coast Airport, or Coolangatta Airport, is an Australian domestic and international airport on the Gold Coast
and is located some 100 km (62.1 mi) south of Brisbane
and 25 km south of Surfers Paradise. The entrance to the airport is situated in the suburb of Bilinga
on the Gold Coast. The runway itself straddles 5 suburbs of twin cities across the state border of Queensland
and New South Wales
. During summer these states are in two different time zones.
Gold Coast Airport is currently the sixth busiest international airport in Australia and the 3rd fastest growing airport in the country.
Until 1999, the airport was known as Coolangatta Airport. It originally consisted (1936) of three grass strips with the intention of only providing emergency landing ground for airmail aircraft transiting between Brisbane and Sydney. Finally, passenger flights took off for the first time in 1939, using the then grassy field of the current Coolangatta
site. Regular services were started by Queensland Airlines and Butler Air Transport
after the Second World War. Ansett started its own services in 1950 using DC-3s
, while Trans Australia Airlines
did the same in 1954 using DC-3s too as well as DC-4s
and Convair
s to link other Australian cities.
By 1958, the taxiways and runways were fully paved, with the later being upgraded a decade later to allow jet operations with DC-9
and L-188 Electra
aircraft to began. The current terminal, entitled Eric Robinson
Building, was officially opened in 1981 by Acting Prime Minister Douglas Anthony
, when at the time more than 650,000 passengers were using the airport. The following year, the main runway was lengthened to 2042 m (6,699 ft), thus permitting the use of wide-body jets
by the two domestic operators Ansett Australia
and Trans Australia Airlines and their Boeing 767
and Airbus A300
respectively on flights from Melbourne and Sydney.
On 1 January 1988, the airport ownership was transferred from the government to the Federal Airports Corporation
. Its full privatisation occurred a decade later, when it was taken over by Queensland Airports Limited (QAL) on 29 May 1998. By 1999, the company's name had changed to become Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd (GCAPL). The airport suffered from the collapse of Ansett in 2001– Ansett had operated direct services from the Gold Coast to 12 Australian destinations.
In 2003 GCAPL was taken over by Queensland Airports Limited and today also own and operate Mount Isa Airport
and Townsville Airport.
Despite the name change from Coolangatta Airport to Gold Coast Airport during change of ownership, the airport still carries its original IATA Airport Code, OOL.
In 1990, the airport welcomed its first international charter service from New Zealand, and by 1999, Air New Zealand
low-cost
subsidiary Freedom Air
started scheduled no-frills service from Hamilton, New Zealand
with Boeing 737
s. In 2007, the airport celebrated the arrival of AirAsia X
, which began services directly to Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia, and Tiger Airways Australia
, which started services to Melbourne. By January 2008, the Kuala Lumpur
route had proved so popular, that all flights up to the month of March were completely booked. AirAsia X announced that they would begin a daily service from 6 February 2010.
On 22 September 2008 it was announced that Air Pacific
will expand its services to Australia with the introduction of twice weekly flights between Nadi, Fiji and the Gold Coast commencing December 2008. Air Pacific’s Managing Director and CEO, John Campbell, said "Australia is Fiji's number one source of visitors and with the population growing rapidly in the South East corner of Queensland we know the time is right to introduce this service." The new route commenced on 1 December 2008 with two flights per week operated by 160 seat Boeing 737–800
aircraft on a Monday and Saturday. The service has since been suspended.
By 2009, Jetstar begun flying at least twice daily to Tokyo and Osaka
, Japan. Services to New Zealand increased as well with Jetstar, Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue
flying to Auckland
, Wellington
and Christchurch
. Airnorth
also started services to the airport from Darwin
, via Mount Isa. In addition, Virgin Blue
announced direct services from Canberra
and Townsville. This opens up connections between all three QAL owned airports – Mount Isa Airport
, Townsville Airport and Gold Coast Airport.
2010 saw Jetstar announce the airport as its newest hub, increased services to Cairns and new direct services to Perth
and Queenstown
. Tiger Airways also announced their newest base at Avalon Airport
in Geelong, and said that services from Avalon to the Gold Coast will commence later in the year; however, services to Adelaide
would be cut due to delays in receiving new aircraft which were meant to be for their new Avalon base.
On 13 June 2010, start up airline Pacific Flier
began weekly services from Koror
, Palau, using an Airbus A310
. The route has since been suspended due to traffic rights and terminal access being halted in Palau.
On 26 October 2010, Gold Coast Airport was named the 2010 Major Airport of the Year 2010 by the Australian Airports Association (AAA).
On 16 November 2010, Jetstar announced new daily direct services to Hobart
.
On 30 March 2011, Gold Coast Airport was named the Best Regional Airport Asia/Pacific and was awarded the Staff Service Excellence Australia/Pacific award at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark.
It is anticipated that a railway station will be constructed at the airport when the Gold Coast Line is extended. The recently opened Tugun Bypass
provides a much faster road link to the Airport, with the bypass also featuring a tunnel under the runway
.
The airport opened an extension to the main runway as well as a full length parallel taxiway in May 2007. The runway will be 2500 m (8,202 ft) long, allowing for heavier aircraft with greater range to takeoff
.
On 16 May 2007, the runway extension was officially inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, the Hon Mark Vaile
MP.
Gold Coast Airport appointed ADCO Constructions as the principal design and construct contractor for a $100 million redevelopment of the airport’s main terminal. Completed in 2010, the project has doubled the size of the existing facility to almost 27000 m² (32,291.7 sq yd), incorporating domestic and international operations with self service kiosks and 40 common user check-in
desks. The works will accommodate forecast growth for the next 10 years with a further expansion, stage two, scheduled to kick in upon demand. The main terminal – Terminal 1 – currently houses operations for Jetstar Airways
, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand
, Airnorth
, Pacific Blue Airlines and AirAsia X
. Terminal 2 accommodates Tiger Airways Australia
.
Tiger Airways Australia flights operate from a low cost terminal with basic amenities, located approximately 200 m (656.2 ft) from the main terminal building. The building is loosely similar to Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport
but on a much smaller scale.
SEAIR Pacific
, a scheduled and charter airline based at Gold Coast Airport, operate from their own hangar situated in the general aviation part of the airport.
and Tiger Airways
, with SEAIR Pacific operating from their own hangar in the general aviation part of the airport, and Tiger Airways operating from Terminal 2 (T2)
Australian air Express
uses the belly space of Jetstar aircraft to transport cargo domestically. It is also contracted for Jetstar international flights and Air New Zealand flights from the airport. It offers same day/overnight and standby services domestically airport to airport and airport to door from Gold Coast Airport.
Coast Cargo offers a full range of international and domestic logistics services at Gold Coast Airport. As a privately owned, IATA-accredited freight forwarder Coast Cargo provides both inbound and outbound freight services on all airlines at Gold Coast and Brisbane Airports. At Gold Coast Airport, Coast Cargo provides numerous services including courier, international and domestic pet animal transport services on Virgin Blue and Pacific Blue airlines, line-haul services Gold Coast to Brisbane and international and domestic freight services.
Coast Cargo is a registered Cargo Terminal Operator (CTO) and currently handles Air Asia X, Pacific Blue and Virgin Blue airlines. It is also the agent for Toll Air Express.
Both of these are operated 7 days by Surfside Buslines
Northbound:
Southbound:
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
and is located some 100 km (62.1 mi) south of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and 25 km south of Surfers Paradise. The entrance to the airport is situated in the suburb of Bilinga
Bilinga, Queensland
Bilinga is a southern suburb of the Gold Coast located on the Nerang-Tweed Railway line. At the 2006 Census, Bilinga had a population of 1,436.-Etymology:The word "Bilinga" is derived from the word "Bilinba", or bats...
on the Gold Coast. The runway itself straddles 5 suburbs of twin cities across the state border of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. During summer these states are in two different time zones.
Gold Coast Airport is currently the sixth busiest international airport in Australia and the 3rd fastest growing airport in the country.
History
| Gold Coast Airport Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Year | Total Passengers |
| 2000–01 | 1,896,170 |
| 2001–02 | 1,724,107 |
| 2002–03 | 2,215,188 |
| 2003–04 | 2,576,940 |
| 2004–05 | 3,212,036 |
| 2005–06 | 3,581,646 |
| 2006–07 | 3,753,538 |
| 2007–08 | 4,287,114 |
| 2008–09 | 4,602,449 |
| 2009–10 | 5,170,019 |
| 2010–11 | 5,441,890 |
Until 1999, the airport was known as Coolangatta Airport. It originally consisted (1936) of three grass strips with the intention of only providing emergency landing ground for airmail aircraft transiting between Brisbane and Sydney. Finally, passenger flights took off for the first time in 1939, using the then grassy field of the current Coolangatta
Coolangatta, Queensland
Coolangatta is the southernmost suburb of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It has a population of 4,869 and is named after the schooner Coolangatta which was wrecked there in 1846....
site. Regular services were started by Queensland Airlines and Butler Air Transport
Butler Air Transport
Butler Air Transport was a limited liability company created by Cecil Arthur Butler to operate air transport primarily among New South Wales airports in Australia, from 1934 until 1959.-History:...
after the Second World War. Ansett started its own services in 1950 using DC-3s
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
, while Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines or TAA, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its sale to Qantas in May 1996. During that period TAA played a major part in the development of the Australian air transport industry...
did the same in 1954 using DC-3s too as well as DC-4s
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
and Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
s to link other Australian cities.
By 1958, the taxiways and runways were fully paved, with the later being upgraded a decade later to allow jet operations with DC-9
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
and L-188 Electra
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
aircraft to began. The current terminal, entitled Eric Robinson
Eric Robinson (Australian politician)
Eric Laidlaw Robinson was an Australian politician.Robinson took over his family's sporting goods business and built it up from a single store into a chain along the Queensland coast. He was president of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party in from 1968 to 1973. He was elected to the...
Building, was officially opened in 1981 by Acting Prime Minister Douglas Anthony
Doug Anthony
John Douglas Anthony, AC, CH , is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the National Party from 1971 to 1984, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1983.-Early life:...
, when at the time more than 650,000 passengers were using the airport. The following year, the main runway was lengthened to 2042 m (6,699 ft), thus permitting the use of wide-body jets
Wide-body aircraft
A wide-body aircraft is a large airliner with two passenger aisles, also known as a widebody aircraft or twin-aisle aircraft. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin, passengers are seated seven to ten abreast, allowing a total capacity of 200 to 850 passengers...
by the two domestic operators Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
and Trans Australia Airlines and their Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
respectively on flights from Melbourne and Sydney.
On 1 January 1988, the airport ownership was transferred from the government to the Federal Airports Corporation
Federal Airports Corporation
The Federal Airports Corporation was a business enterprise of the Government of Australia responsible for the operation of major passenger airports in Australia. At the beginning of 1997 the corporation operated 22 airports and handled over 60 million passenger annually.It was established by an...
. Its full privatisation occurred a decade later, when it was taken over by Queensland Airports Limited (QAL) on 29 May 1998. By 1999, the company's name had changed to become Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd (GCAPL). The airport suffered from the collapse of Ansett in 2001– Ansett had operated direct services from the Gold Coast to 12 Australian destinations.
In 2003 GCAPL was taken over by Queensland Airports Limited and today also own and operate Mount Isa Airport
Mount Isa Airport
Mount Isa Airport is an airport serving the western Queensland city of Mount Isa, Australia. It is served by a variety of scheduled regional airlines, with flights to Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns as well as several other regional centres....
and Townsville Airport.
Despite the name change from Coolangatta Airport to Gold Coast Airport during change of ownership, the airport still carries its original IATA Airport Code, OOL.
In 1990, the airport welcomed its first international charter service from New Zealand, and by 1999, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
low-cost
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
subsidiary Freedom Air
Freedom Air
Freedom Air was Air New Zealand Group's low-cost airline which operated from December 1995 to March 2008. It ran scheduled passenger services from New Zealand to Australia and Fiji and charter services within New Zealand...
started scheduled no-frills service from Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
with Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s. In 2007, the airport celebrated the arrival of AirAsia X
AirAsia X
AirAsia X is a long-haul, budget airline based in Malaysia. The airline is operated by AirAsia X Sdn. Bhd. . It commenced operations on 2 November 2007. Its first service flew from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, to Gold Coast Airport in Australia...
, which began services directly to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia, and Tiger Airways Australia
Tiger Airways Australia
Tiger Airways Australia Pty Ltd, operating as Tiger Airways Australia, is a low cost airline which commenced services in the Australian domestic airline market on 23 November 2007. It is a subsidiary of Tiger Airways Holdings, a Singapore-based company, which is owned partially by Singapore Airlines...
, which started services to Melbourne. By January 2008, the Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
route had proved so popular, that all flights up to the month of March were completely booked. AirAsia X announced that they would begin a daily service from 6 February 2010.
On 22 September 2008 it was announced that Air Pacific
Air Pacific
Air Pacific Limited, Fiji's international airline, operates international and domestic services around the Pacific and to North America and Hong Kong. It is also a partner with the frequent flyer programmes of Qantas, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines...
will expand its services to Australia with the introduction of twice weekly flights between Nadi, Fiji and the Gold Coast commencing December 2008. Air Pacific’s Managing Director and CEO, John Campbell, said "Australia is Fiji's number one source of visitors and with the population growing rapidly in the South East corner of Queensland we know the time is right to introduce this service." The new route commenced on 1 December 2008 with two flights per week operated by 160 seat Boeing 737–800
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
aircraft on a Monday and Saturday. The service has since been suspended.
By 2009, Jetstar begun flying at least twice daily to Tokyo and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan. Services to New Zealand increased as well with Jetstar, Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue
Pacific Blue
Pacific Blue may refer to:*Pacific Blue *Pacific Blue Airlines...
flying to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
and Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. Airnorth
Airnorth
Capiteq Limited, trading as Airnorth, is a regional airline based on the property of Darwin International Airport in Marrara, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It operates scheduled and charter services in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, with an extension to East Timor...
also started services to the airport from Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, via Mount Isa. In addition, Virgin Blue
Virgin Blue
Virgin Australia Airlines, formerly Virgin Blue Airlines, is Australia's second-largest airline as well as the largest by fleet size to utilise the Virgin brand. Now based in Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the airline was co-founded by British businessman Sir Richard Branson and...
announced direct services from Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Townsville. This opens up connections between all three QAL owned airports – Mount Isa Airport
Mount Isa Airport
Mount Isa Airport is an airport serving the western Queensland city of Mount Isa, Australia. It is served by a variety of scheduled regional airlines, with flights to Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns as well as several other regional centres....
, Townsville Airport and Gold Coast Airport.
2010 saw Jetstar announce the airport as its newest hub, increased services to Cairns and new direct services to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
. Tiger Airways also announced their newest base at Avalon Airport
Avalon Airport
Avalon Airport is the second busiest of the four airports serving Melbourne and is located in Avalon, Victoria, Australia, which is north-east of the city of Geelong and to the south-west of the state's capital city of Melbourne....
in Geelong, and said that services from Avalon to the Gold Coast will commence later in the year; however, services to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
would be cut due to delays in receiving new aircraft which were meant to be for their new Avalon base.
On 13 June 2010, start up airline Pacific Flier
Pacific Flier
PacificFlier was a short-lived airline based in Koror, Palau, operating chartered passenger flights out of its base at Roman Tmetuchl International Airport. The airline only had one single aircraft, a leased Airbus A310-300, which was equipped with 194 passenger seats, 18 of which were located in...
began weekly services from Koror
Koror
Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island ....
, Palau, using an Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
. The route has since been suspended due to traffic rights and terminal access being halted in Palau.
On 26 October 2010, Gold Coast Airport was named the 2010 Major Airport of the Year 2010 by the Australian Airports Association (AAA).
On 16 November 2010, Jetstar announced new daily direct services to Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
.
On 30 March 2011, Gold Coast Airport was named the Best Regional Airport Asia/Pacific and was awarded the Staff Service Excellence Australia/Pacific award at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Infrastructure
Tugun Bypass
The Tugun Bypass is 7.5 km long, bypassing through the suburb of Tugun on the Gold Coast, Australia. The speed limit on the Tugun bypass is 100 km/h and provides a high-speed motorway link between the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, separating interstate vehicles from local...
provides a much faster road link to the Airport, with the bypass also featuring a tunnel under the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
.
The airport opened an extension to the main runway as well as a full length parallel taxiway in May 2007. The runway will be 2500 m (8,202 ft) long, allowing for heavier aircraft with greater range to takeoff
Takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
.
On 16 May 2007, the runway extension was officially inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, the Hon Mark Vaile
Mark Vaile
Mark Anthony James Vaile , Australian politician, is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and former leader of the National Party of Australia.-Early life:...
MP.
Gold Coast Airport appointed ADCO Constructions as the principal design and construct contractor for a $100 million redevelopment of the airport’s main terminal. Completed in 2010, the project has doubled the size of the existing facility to almost 27000 m² (32,291.7 sq yd), incorporating domestic and international operations with self service kiosks and 40 common user check-in
Check-in
Check-in is the process of announcing your arrival at a hotel, airport, sea port or social network service.-Airlines and airports :Check-in desks are found in the majority of commercial airports. Their main function is to take in luggage that passengers wish to, or are required to, place within the...
desks. The works will accommodate forecast growth for the next 10 years with a further expansion, stage two, scheduled to kick in upon demand. The main terminal – Terminal 1 – currently houses operations for Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue...
, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, Airnorth
Airnorth
Capiteq Limited, trading as Airnorth, is a regional airline based on the property of Darwin International Airport in Marrara, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It operates scheduled and charter services in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, with an extension to East Timor...
, Pacific Blue Airlines and AirAsia X
AirAsia X
AirAsia X is a long-haul, budget airline based in Malaysia. The airline is operated by AirAsia X Sdn. Bhd. . It commenced operations on 2 November 2007. Its first service flew from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, to Gold Coast Airport in Australia...
. Terminal 2 accommodates Tiger Airways Australia
Tiger Airways Australia
Tiger Airways Australia Pty Ltd, operating as Tiger Airways Australia, is a low cost airline which commenced services in the Australian domestic airline market on 23 November 2007. It is a subsidiary of Tiger Airways Holdings, a Singapore-based company, which is owned partially by Singapore Airlines...
.
Tiger Airways Australia flights operate from a low cost terminal with basic amenities, located approximately 200 m (656.2 ft) from the main terminal building. The building is loosely similar to Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...
but on a much smaller scale.
SEAIR Pacific
SEAIR Pacific
Seair Pacific is a charter air service based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It operates charter services in Queensland. Its main base is Gold Coast Airport....
, a scheduled and charter airline based at Gold Coast Airport, operate from their own hangar situated in the general aviation part of the airport.
Passenger services
The following airlines operate scheduled and in some cases chartered passenger flights from Gold Coast Airport. All passenger airlines operate flights from the main terminal (T1), with the exception of SEAIR PacificSEAIR Pacific
Seair Pacific is a charter air service based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It operates charter services in Queensland. Its main base is Gold Coast Airport....
and Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways Singapore Pte Ltd, operating as Tiger Airways Singapore, is a low cost airline which commenced services on 25 March 2005. It is a subsidiary of Tiger Airways Holdings, a Singapore-based company, which is owned partially by Singapore Airlines...
, with SEAIR Pacific operating from their own hangar in the general aviation part of the airport, and Tiger Airways operating from Terminal 2 (T2)
Cargo services
The following airlines operate scheduled cargo flights from Gold Coast Airport. All cargo services operate from the Freight Terminal.Australian air Express
Australian Air Express
Australian air Express is a logistics company based in Melbourne, Australia. It operates freight-only services within Australia using leased Qantas, National Jet Systems, and Pel-Air aircraft and a fleet of land vehicles...
uses the belly space of Jetstar aircraft to transport cargo domestically. It is also contracted for Jetstar international flights and Air New Zealand flights from the airport. It offers same day/overnight and standby services domestically airport to airport and airport to door from Gold Coast Airport.
Coast Cargo offers a full range of international and domestic logistics services at Gold Coast Airport. As a privately owned, IATA-accredited freight forwarder Coast Cargo provides both inbound and outbound freight services on all airlines at Gold Coast and Brisbane Airports. At Gold Coast Airport, Coast Cargo provides numerous services including courier, international and domestic pet animal transport services on Virgin Blue and Pacific Blue airlines, line-haul services Gold Coast to Brisbane and international and domestic freight services.
Coast Cargo is a registered Cargo Terminal Operator (CTO) and currently handles Air Asia X, Pacific Blue and Virgin Blue airlines. It is also the agent for Toll Air Express.
Domestic
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Airport Sydney Airport Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada... |
2,366,000 | 10.0 |
| 2 | Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the... |
1,714,600 | 6.4 |
| 3 | Adelaide Airport | 275,700 | 5.1 |
| 4 | Newcastle Airport Newcastle Airport (Williamtown) Newcastle Airport is north of Newcastle, New South Wales in Port Stephens. It is the 12th busiest airport in Australia, handling almost 1.2 million passengers in the year ending 30 June 2009, which is 107,000 more than in 2007-08.-Overview:... |
162,500 | 14.3 |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Airport Sydney Airport Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada... |
197,600 | 7.4 |
| 2 | Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the... |
164,500 | 12.3 |
| 3 | Adelaide Airport | 23,100 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Newcastle Airport Newcastle Airport (Williamtown) Newcastle Airport is north of Newcastle, New South Wales in Port Stephens. It is the 12th busiest airport in Australia, handling almost 1.2 million passengers in the year ending 30 June 2009, which is 107,000 more than in 2007-08.-Overview:... |
16,200 | 48.1 |
International
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland Airport | 251,500 | 86.9 |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur... |
172,700 | 58.4 |
| 3 | Tokyo Narita Airport | 136,300 | 110.8 |
| 4 | Kansai Airport | 116,700 | 44.8 |
| 5 | Christchurch International Airport Christchurch International Airport -Facts & figures:As the gateway for Christchurch and the South Island, Christchurch International Airport is New Zealand’s second largest airport.5,908,077 passengers travelled in and out of Christchurch International Airport from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009... |
48,800 | 11.0 |
| 6 | Wellington International Airport Wellington International Airport Wellington International Airport is an international airport located in the suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is a secondary hub and focus city for Air New Zealand and its subsidiaries... |
4,000 | 76.3 |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland Airport | 22,600 | 11.9 |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur... |
17,200 | 38.4 |
| 3 | Narita International Airport Narita International Airport is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama.... |
13,600 | 23.5 |
| 4 | Kansai International Airport Kansai International Airport is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an... |
13,000 | 27.7 |
| 5 | Christchurch International Airport Christchurch International Airport -Facts & figures:As the gateway for Christchurch and the South Island, Christchurch International Airport is New Zealand’s second largest airport.5,908,077 passengers travelled in and out of Christchurch International Airport from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009... |
5,300 | 3.8 |
- Service to Wellington has since been suspended.
Bus connections
2 local bus routes service the Gold Coast Airport.Both of these are operated 7 days by Surfside Buslines
Northbound:
- 702 – Southport via Gold Coast Highway – Palm Beach, Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Australia Fair
- 761 – Varsity Lakes Rail – via The Pines and then express to Varsity Lakes
Southbound:
- 761 – Tweed Heads via Kirra and Coolangatta
External links
- Gold Coast Airport official site