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Sydney Airport: ACCC Report is Out of Date
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Source: Sydney Airport
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11/03/2010
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The ACCC’s annual airport monitoring report is out of date as it covers the period July 2008 to June 2009.
Since then construction of the $500 million upgrade of Sydney Airport’s International Terminal and precinct has progressed and achieved the following important milestones:
• opened the expanded departures level which provides an extra 7,300 square metres of space
• opened a new outbound hall for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service – closing two old halls
• opened a new security screening area to undertake essential aviation security measures – closing two old areas
• opened the new Forum to provide more waiting areas and food, beverage and retail outlets for passengers (after Customs)
• progressed the new landside food court to provide passengers with greater range and more choice (before Customs)
The report states that Sydney Airport “recently commenced significant capital works”. In fact, the construction commenced in October 2007 - more than two years ago – and was preceded by an extensive design and consultation program with airlines that began in 2005. Extensive construction works were underway throughout the period covered by the report and may have, understandably, impacted on the customer experience.
Even so, the ACCC reports that passengers continued to rate Sydney Airport as satisfactory (p60-61).
The new facilities provide a much improved travel experience for passengers. In addition, the new passenger pick-up area at T2 has opened providing more time, more spaces and less congestion.
The feedback from passengers about these new facilities has been very positive.
T2 pick-up area: A December customer survey found that 75% of users were satisfied or very satisfied with the new pick-up area and that 83% of users would definitely or probably recommend it to others.
T1 International Terminal: A December customer survey found that 84% of passengers rated the International Terminal at 7 or above out of 10. This 84% is up from the 67% recorded in July-August 2008 when construction was at its most extensive.
Sydney Airport is investing to provide Sydney with the aviation infrastructure it needs and will also soon complete the $100 million runway safety upgrade.
Background Information:
Sydney Airport made a submission to the Productivity Commission’s Review of Regulatory Burdens on Business concerning the methodology used by the ACCC. The submission can be read on the Productivity Commission’s website: http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/90552/subdr56.pdf
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» Hamdi Chaouk, Director General of Civil Aviation – Lebanon
