Launceston Airport
Encyclopedia
Launceston Airport is a regional airport on the outskirts of Launceston
, Tasmania
. The airport is located in the rural area of Western Junction 15 km (9.3 mi) from Launceston city centre. It is Tasmania's fastest growing airport, and the second busiest in the state, after Hobart International Airport
; it can also run as a curfew free airport
.
In the 2007/2008 financial year, the airport had a record 1.1 million passengers, up 10% on the previous year; 255,000 passengers passed through the airport in the three months to 30 September, up 7% on the previous year. 309,000 passengers passed through in January - March 2008, the highest ever number in a calendar quarter, up 11% on the previous year.
It is currently Australia's 13th busiest airport, handling 1,126 572 passengers in the 2008-09 financial year.
.
For a period in the 1940s, the airport was an Air Force pilot training facility. Two of the Bellman hangars from this period are still located at the airport, on the southern Freight and GA operations area.
In 1962 a plan for major redevelopment of the airport was approved. This included strengthening of all pavements, a runway
extension, and a new terminal
building. The airport was officially reopened that same year as Launceston Airport. In October 1982 the runway was further upgraded to Boeing 767
standard. In 1998, the airport was privatized, and is now owned jointly by Launceston City Council and Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited
, which also owns Melbourne Airport
. The collapse of Ansett Australia
in 2001, the introduction of Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) and the Qantas
subsidiary Jetstar Airways
in 2001 and 2004; and the creation of the Australian low cost airline market; have all contributed to a dramatic increase in aircraft movements at Launceston Airport. In 2007 the airport reached the milestone of one million passenger movements per year. Tiger Airways Australia
also introduced services, and withdrew again in July 2010.
Launceston Airport terminal has recently undergone a A$
20 million redevelopment, the largest expansion in its history. The project doubled the size of the terminal and was completed in November 2009. The airport currently has three retail and cafe outlets; Hudsons Coffee
, Delaware North
and News Travels, a News and Gift Shop, that all opened in July 2008.
As part of the expansion, two new gate lounges were installed (Gate Lounges 2 and 3), with the capability for two more gate lounges when required in future. The new gate lounges area is approximately 1200m² at apron level. The gate lounges for departing passengers were constructed along with a 100m² extension of the landside lounge floor, bringing the landside lounge area to 800m². The new departure area has a single location for all airlines' check-in operations: QantasLink, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have a total of 12 check-in counters. A checked bag screening (CBS) facility is linked to these check-in counters, allowing all aircraft checked baggage to be screened as required by the Commonwealth government from 1 December 2008. A 500m² baggage arrivals hall was constructed, and two new baggage carousels were installed: the first one opened to the public on 18 March, with the second following in April. Previously passengers had to take their bags from the airline baggage equipment. A new multi-tenant car rental counter has been constructed next to the baggage arrivals area. There was a 1000m² expansion of the main landside passenger lounge, with views of the apron and runway.
The redeveloped terminal was officially opened on 12 March 2010 by the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. David Bartlett.
Busiest Domestic Passenger Routes out of Launceston Airport (YE January 2011)>
— en route from Melbourne Airport — was hijacked shortly after takeoff. The hijacker, a passenger named David Robinson, intended to fly the aircraft into the Walls of Jerusalem National Park
located in central Tasmania. The flight attendants and passengers successfully subdued and restrained the hijacker, and the aircraft returned to Melbourne, where it landed safely.
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. The airport is located in the rural area of Western Junction 15 km (9.3 mi) from Launceston city centre. It is Tasmania's fastest growing airport, and the second busiest in the state, after Hobart International Airport
Hobart International Airport
Hobart International Airport is an airport located in Cambridge, east of Hobart, Tasmania. The Federal government owned airport is currently being operated on a 99 year lease to the Tasmanian Gateway Consortium. The airport has seen strong passenger growth in the last few years, primarily due to...
; it can also run as a curfew free airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
.
In the 2007/2008 financial year, the airport had a record 1.1 million passengers, up 10% on the previous year; 255,000 passengers passed through the airport in the three months to 30 September, up 7% on the previous year. 309,000 passengers passed through in January - March 2008, the highest ever number in a calendar quarter, up 11% on the previous year.
It is currently Australia's 13th busiest airport, handling 1,126 572 passengers in the 2008-09 financial year.
History
After the formation of the Tasmanian Aero Club in 1927, the first air travel facility in Tasmania was built on the site. In July 1929 the Home Territories Department acquired land at the Western Junction, then also called Valley of Springs, for a £20,400 ($41,000) aerodrome. The Western Junction Aerodrome was officially opened in 1929 and opened for use in 1930. In February 1931, around 20,000 people crammed into Evandale Road to watch Colonel Brinsmead, Controller of Civil Aviation, officially open Western Junction as a government aerodrome. During 1932 small aircraft flew from Launceston to Flinders IslandFlinders Island
Flinders Island may refer to:In Australia:* Flinders Island , in the Furneaux Group, is the largest and best known* Flinders Island * Flinders Island , in the Investigator Group* Flinders Island...
.
For a period in the 1940s, the airport was an Air Force pilot training facility. Two of the Bellman hangars from this period are still located at the airport, on the southern Freight and GA operations area.
In 1962 a plan for major redevelopment of the airport was approved. This included strengthening of all pavements, a 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...
extension, and a new terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
building. The airport was officially reopened that same year as Launceston Airport. In October 1982 the runway was further upgraded to 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...
standard. In 1998, the airport was privatized, and is now owned jointly by Launceston City Council and Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited
Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited
Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited is an unlisted company and owner of two Australian airports: Melbourne Airport and Launceston Airport...
, which also owns 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...
. The collapse of 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...
in 2001, the introduction of Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) and the Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
subsidiary 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...
in 2001 and 2004; and the creation of the Australian low cost airline market; have all contributed to a dramatic increase in aircraft movements at Launceston Airport. In 2007 the airport reached the milestone of one million passenger movements per year. 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...
also introduced services, and withdrew again in July 2010.
Terminal
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
20 million redevelopment, the largest expansion in its history. The project doubled the size of the terminal and was completed in November 2009. The airport currently has three retail and cafe outlets; Hudsons Coffee
Hudsons Coffee
Hudsons Coffee is an Australian chain of coffee retailers. It was founded in 1998 by Ros Turner and Mark Hawthorne in Melbourne. Hudsons has 64 stores across Australia. With the newest being in Ballarat, which opened on Saturday 26/02/2011....
, Delaware North
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and News Travels, a News and Gift Shop, that all opened in July 2008.
As part of the expansion, two new gate lounges were installed (Gate Lounges 2 and 3), with the capability for two more gate lounges when required in future. The new gate lounges area is approximately 1200m² at apron level. The gate lounges for departing passengers were constructed along with a 100m² extension of the landside lounge floor, bringing the landside lounge area to 800m². The new departure area has a single location for all airlines' check-in operations: QantasLink, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have a total of 12 check-in counters. A checked bag screening (CBS) facility is linked to these check-in counters, allowing all aircraft checked baggage to be screened as required by the Commonwealth government from 1 December 2008. A 500m² baggage arrivals hall was constructed, and two new baggage carousels were installed: the first one opened to the public on 18 March, with the second following in April. Previously passengers had to take their bags from the airline baggage equipment. A new multi-tenant car rental counter has been constructed next to the baggage arrivals area. There was a 1000m² expansion of the main landside passenger lounge, with views of the apron and runway.
The redeveloped terminal was officially opened on 12 March 2010 by the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. David Bartlett.
Airlines and destinations
Virgin Australia currently has up to five daily flights from Melbourne and one from Sydney. Jetstar has four daily flights from Melbourne, one from Sydney and flies to/from Brisbane up to twice daily during peak periods. QantasLink flies in up to three times daily from Melbourne only.Traffic and statistics
Launceston Airport's passenger numbers have increased dramatically in recent years, significantly exceeding the airports forecasts in the Airport Master Plan 2005. The passenger numbers achieved in the 2007-08 fiscal year were not anticipated until at least fiscal year 2019-20.| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Melbourne AirportMelbourne 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... |
839,300 | 1.0 |
| 2 |  Sydney AirportSydney 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... |
217,200 | 3.2 |
| Year | Total Passengers | Aircraft Movements |
|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 595,881 | |
| 1996-97 | 586,661 | |
| 1997-98 | 544,185 | |
| 1998-99 | 520,000 | |
| 1999-00 | 540,000 | 27,600 |
| 2000-01 | 520,000 | 26,400 |
| 2001-02 | 530,000 | 21,600 |
| 2002-03 | 580,000 | 14,900 |
| 2003-04 | 670,000 | 15,300 |
| 2004-05 | 820,000 | 15,000 |
| 2005-06 | 920,000 | 15,000 |
| 2006-07 | 990,000 | 14,500 |
Access
Primary access to Launceston Airport is via private vehicles. Launceston Airport has a Short Term and a Long Term Car Park, as well as an Overflow Carpark that can accommodate 150 Cars. Public transport is not provided between Launceston Airport and the City of launceston. Numerous taxi services are available as well as Airport Shuttle Buses that operate mainly from the City Centre to the airport but also connecting the Northwest Tasmanian towns of Devonport, Ulverstone and Burnie.Accidents and incidents
On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737Qantas Flight 1737
Qantas Flight 1737 was an afternoon Australian domestic flight from Melbourne Airport to Launceston Airport, which was subject to an attempted hijacking on 29 May 2003.-Hijack attempt:Flight 1737 left Melbourne Airport at 2.50pm on 29 May...
— en route from Melbourne Airport — was hijacked shortly after takeoff. The hijacker, a passenger named David Robinson, intended to fly the aircraft into the Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Walls Of Jerusalem is a national park in Tasmania, Australia, 144 km northwest of Hobart. It forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area....
located in central Tasmania. The flight attendants and passengers successfully subdued and restrained the hijacker, and the aircraft returned to Melbourne, where it landed safely.