Delayed at BNE? Blame Kevin, says Jeff

Source: The Courier-Mail

BRISBANE Airport will begin issuing daily forecasts to warn travellers of issues that could cause delays amid growing concerns over worsening congestion.

This morning, @BrisbaneAirport tweeted that they were trying 'something new' and would begin sharing predictions from Airservices Australia - the air traffic control agency - about issues such as weather which could impact flights.

In a tweet using the campaign hashtag #bnelateagain, the airport's operators said that Brisbane was currently operating at a reduced arrival rate due to weather "meaning 14 minute average delays for arrivals".

"Watch this space each morning for updates", the airport tweeted.

Earlier, deputy premier Jeff Seeney urged Queenslanders frustrated by delays at Brisbane Airport to take their complaint to Kevin Rudd.

Responding to a question about the airport delays, Mr Seeney congratulated The Courier-Mail for highlighting the issue and mounting a campaign to try to address the problems.

"What we haven't heard in recent times is comment from the Federal Government, who spoke about the second runway while they were in Opposition as far back as 1998," Mr Seeney told parliament.

"In 1998, Kevin Rudd in his maiden speech talked about being incensed about the proposition to build a second runway.

"If there are two people in Queensland who have done more to ensure we don't have a second runway at Brisbane Airport it is Wayne Swan and Kevin Rudd.

"But we've heard nothing from Wayne Swan and Kevin Rudd about the current delays."

THE possibility of diverting flights to airports outside Brisbane will be explored as the state grapples with thousands of delayed flights.

He urged "all the people who get held up at Brisbane Airport this month, this year and next year to send your frustrations to Kevin Rudd".

"He's a great fan of Twitter. Get on Twitter and tweet Kevin about the delays, remind him of what he said in 1998," said Mr Seeney.

"Remind him of the $32,000 he spent opposing a runway that is so desperately needed by the people of Queensland and the economy of Queensland today."

Mr Rudd's Twitter account is @KRuddMP.

Overnight, it was reported that every airport in southeast Queensland will be reviewed in the hope of using them to relieve congestion at Brisbane Airport.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says he is unimpressed with Brisbane Airport Corporation's lack of planning to reduce congestion in the eight years it will take to build a parallel runway.

After meeting BAC officials last week, Mr Seeney said he had demanded airport operators come back with some ideas to solve chronic delays in the short-term.

It was revealed yesterday that a promised respite by reopening a small cross-runway, which has been under repair for months, would be delayed until at least March 18 because of rain.

It had been due at the end of February.

Mr Seeney also wants an investigation into the eight-year timeframe for the new runway.

BAC spokeswoman Leonie Vandeven yesterday said the corporation could not "build the new runway any quicker".

Have you experienced delays at Brisbane Airport? Share your story on Twitter at #BNELATEAGAIN or email cmonline@qnp.newsltd.com.au

Under Mr Seeney's plan to give travellers some relief before the completion of the new runway, bringing other regional airports into play will be considered.

"I communicated to them very clearly that I didn't think facing the possibility of nothing changing for the next eight years was tenable," said Mr Seeney.

"That's a terrible prospect for people who are regular travellers. It's a terrible prospect for the Queensland economy with everybody factoring in an extra hour."

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But he said he wasn't confident. "Let's say I wasn't comforted by the attitude of BAC," he said.

The State Government will also research the cost to Queensland's economy from the worsening delays, which have made the airport one of the worst performers in the country.

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Delays have been exacerbated by the current closure of the existing cross-runway for repairs.

BAC claims reopening it will reduce congestion but yesterday was forced to push back the likely reopening date until at least March 18 because of recent heavy rain.

More than 2.5 million passengers have been caught in flight delays in Brisbane in the past year. The number of passengers travelling through Brisbane Airport each year has soared from 11.84 million a decade ago to more than 21 million last year, and is forecast to top 30 million by 2020.

A parallel runway has appeared in airport masterplans for more than 20 years and BAC finally started site works last September, with construction targeted for completion by 2020.

But it is refusing to commit to the second phase of the project, due to start this year, unless airlines cough up increased landing charges during the construction period as well as after it is finished.

The airport wants the airlines to fund a quarter of the $1.3 billion cost through these charges.

Despite two years of fierce opposition to the proposal from airlines, the airport owners have not come up with an alternative plan to fund the development.

The Courier-Mail is leading a campaign to call on the Brisbane Airport Corporation to find an immediate short-term solution to the congestion problems plaguing its operations, and to commit to completing its desperately needed new parallel runway without delay.

Mr Seeney said: "They (BAC) have to understand how important it is - not just to their business and their shareholders, but it's important to all Queenslanders and to the Queensland economy.

"They have a responsibility to the people of Queensland because they control probably the most critical piece of infrastructure (in the state)."

The comments are in stark contrast to the attitude of the Gillard Government, which has ultimate responsibility for the country's major airports. Canberra has remained almost silent on the problems besetting Brisbane.

Business leaders say there is no time to waste.

"Brisbane Airport is already experiencing a fair bit of congestion and, on just about any forecasts about passenger and air-freight growth, a second runway will be necessary within the next decade," said Australian Industry group Queensland director Matthew Martyn-Jones.

"Without this investment Brisbane, and indeed the broader southeast Queensland area, would have a real constraint on its growth."

Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry president David Goodwin, who was delayed 25 minutes on a flight from Sydney last week, said: "I hate to think what this must be costing in flow-on costs. It would be running into mega-bucks."

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said: "We need this piece of infrastructure and we need the flights it will bring to the state."

Airport spokeswoman Leonie Vandeven said: "We are working closely with all relevant parties, including Airservices/ATC and the airlines, to improve the situation regarding delays.

"We would hope in the coming weeks as the cross-runway comes back in service, weather improves and diversions from other airports diminish, that the load performance will improve in the short-term.

"The long-term solution is, of course, the new parallel runway, a project which remains on track for a 2020 completion."

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