CEO comes out Swinging

Residential groups left fuming over Sydney Airport’s push to relax cap on flights through Kingsford Smith

Marie Hogg, Southern Courier
February 22, 2017 12:00pm

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SYDNEY Airport wants more flights allowed in and out of Kingsford Smith, arguing 20-year-old government restrictions were holding the economy back.
Chief executive of Australia’s largest airport, Kerrie Mather, has said it was time the cap on flights was relaxed to allow for the tourism industry to grow.

Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather.
“Aviation technology has changed rapidly over the last 20 years and in some areas could deliver better amenity and noise outcomes to the community,” Ms Mather said.
She said 20-year-old policy settings which dictate a maximum of 80 aircraft arrival and departure “slots” per operational hour were holding the aviation industry back.
“This is not about changing the curfew — it’s about ensuring the sustainable growth of both the community and our airport,” she said.
But lobby group No Aircraft Noisesaid the arrangements were against the long term operating plan of Sydney Airport, a plan implemented to manage the noise impacts in the “fairest way”.
“Flights to Sydney Airport overfly the most densely populated areas of Sydney and constraints are essential to the quality of life of the residents of Sydney,” NAN president Winnie Southcott said.

Mascot resident Peter Stables at his home with No Aircraft Noise secretary Patricia Thorne.
She said it would also spell the end of noise sharing by the increased usage of the dual north-south runway.
“Any change impacts many people by reducing their quality of life with increasing noise ... we believe this proposal is monopolistic, profit driven behaviour, ”she said.
Sydney Airport’s announcement has strong backing from interest groups The Sydney Business Chamber and Tourism and Transport Forum Australia.
TTFA’s chief executive Margy Osmond conceded the curfew at Sydney Airport was likely to stay but the caps within the curfew were “inefficient”.

Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive Margy Osmond.
“Let’s be clear, the industry recognises that the Sydney Airport curfews are a fact of life and unlikely to be changed,” she said.
“But the caps on aircraft movements during the airport’s operating hours are limits within limits — they are inefficient and they’re impacting not just the national economy, but the local community in terms of environmental and noise impacts.”
“Sydney Airport is Australia’s largest airport and tourism gateway. If we want to accommodate the enormous tourism growth we’re now experiencing and encouraging, we need to ensure that the policy settings are right.”
On Friday the Sydney Business Chamber also came out swinging against the caps.
Executive director Patricia Forsythe said the Government needed to “take the handbrake” off the airport.

Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe with former NSW Premier Mike Baird.
“It makes no sense to tie up Sydney Airport in red tape given its importance as an economic enabler within the Australian economy,” she said.
“Limiting the number of aircraft movements in 15-minute slots means the agility the airport requires to respond to adverse weather in Sydney or elsewhere on the network is not possible.



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