Air traffic control chiefs have unveiled a 23-point plan to boost capacity and reduce delays at Brisbane Airport. The plan aims to increase the daily flight capacity from 744 to 819 within two to three years. Key measures include reducing the time between plane landings, building new runway exits, and improving the secondary runway. While the plan may provide some short-term improvements, the new parallel runway scheduled to open in 2020 is still needed to accommodate ongoing aircraft growth.

1. CHANGES IN
THE AIR
CHANGE
THE AIRES IDaryl Passmore
ES IFRUSTRATED passengers have
been offered some hope of relief
with a new plan from air traffic
control chiefs to boost capacity and
reduce delays at Brisbane Airport.
The 23-point blueprint is the
first major initiative since The
Courier-Mail launched its
#bnelateagain campaign, high-
INlighting how Brisbane has become
the country’s worst big airport for
on-time performance and the need
for a new parallel runway.
Airservices Australia CEO
Jason Harefield says the measures
will make ‘‘a significant contri-
bution’’ to improving efficiency
and capacity, easing delays and
managing future growth.
Continued P4 »
Air traffic chiefs flag
plan to stem delays
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»From P 3
Mr Harefield says it is essen-
tial that the new $1.3 million
runway opens by the target
date of 2020.
‘‘You can extract latent ca-
pacity out of the system but
you get to the point where you
cannot get any more without
more bitumen. Extra runways
is an inevitability,’’ he said.
The plan aims to increase
Brisbane’s capacity from 744
flights a day to 819 within two
to three years.
The maximum number at
peak times would rise from 44
to between 50 and 55.
The strategic plan – ap-
proved by Brisbane Airport
Corporation – follows an as-
sessment of the current per-
formance by NATS, which
formance by NATS, which
runs air traffic control at 16
British airports including
Heathrow and Gatwick.
Key measures include:
• Setting standard terminal
arrival speeds to reduce the
average time between landing
from 156 seconds to ‘‘a world’s
best practice’’ 120 seconds;
• Building two new high-
speed runway exits to get
landing aircraft out of the way;
• Building dual entry points
to runways to create flexibility;
• Reducing line-up times
and pilot reaction times to
speed up take-offs;
• Improving use of the small
cross-runway;
• Changes to the air traffic
control structure to create an
‘‘approach director’’ role;
• Closer liaison with the
Royal Australian Air Force
base at Amberley;
• Daily performance reports
and reviews.
Mr Harefield said dis-
cussions were also under way
cussions were also under way
with the Civil Aviation Safety
Authority to lower national
aircraft separation standards.
‘‘We will never be in a
position where there will be no
delays,’’ he said. ‘‘The idea is to
get the system running at its
most efficient.’’ Brisbane Air-
port Corporation CEO
Julieanne Alroe said: ‘‘BAC is
pleased to be part of this long-
term collaborative approach
. . . and we are hopeful the
initiatives contained within
will provide some improve-
ments over time.’’
Last year, Brisbane’s 76 per
cent on-time arrivals rate
pushed it to fourth worst of the
36 airports monitored by the
Federal Government.
Temporary closure of the
cross-runway and bad weather
made on-time arrivals slip
further in January and Feb-
ruary to 61.5 per cent.
Mr Harefield would not set a
target for an ‘‘acceptable’’ level
of peak-period delays but said
of peak-period delays but said
the measures would make
them more predictable.
He admitted that authorities
had been caught out by the
rapid increase in air traffic.
‘‘Historically, we’ve had
more capacity in the system
than demand and that’s
changed over the last couple of
years.’’
Mr Harefield said despite
the planned short-term im-
provements, the new parallel
runway would still be needed
by 2020 based on aircraft
growth forecasts.
Preliminary work on the
new 3.3km runway began last
September and is due to finish
by the end of May. But BAC
says it will not start the second
phase unless the airlines back
down on their refusal to pre-
fund a quarter of the bill
through higher per-passenger
landing fees.
CHANGES IN
THE AIR
CHANGE
THE AIR
Copyright Agency Ltd (CAL)
licensed copy
Courier Mail, Brisbane
22 Apr 2013, by Daryl Passmore
General News, page 1 - 637.00 cm²
Capital City Daily - circulation 185,770 (MTWTFS-)
ID00190687484 PAGE 1 of 2

2. ALL CLEAR: Air traffic controllers at work in the control tower at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Jono SearleALL CLEAR: Air traffic controllers at work in the control tower at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Jono Searle
ALL CLEAR: Air traffic controllers at work in the control tower at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Jono SearleALL CLEAR: Air traffic controllers at work in the control tower at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Jono Searle
Copyright Agency Ltd (CAL)
licensed copy
Courier Mail, Brisbane
22 Apr 2013, by Daryl Passmore
General News, page 1 - 637.00 cm²
Capital City Daily - circulation 185,770 (MTWTFS-)
ID00190687484 PAGE 2 of 2