Launceston Airport

Launceston Airport
Launceston Airport Terminal
IATA: LST – ICAO: YMLT
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited
Operator	Australia Pacific Airports (Launceston) Pty Ltd
Serves	Launceston
Elevation AMSL	562 ft / 171 m
Coordinates	41°32′42″S 147°12′54″E / 41.54500°S 147.21500°E / -41.54500; 147.21500Coordinates: 41°32′42″S 147°12′54″E / 41.54500°S 147.21500°E / -41.54500; 147.21500
Website	www.launcestonairport.com.au
Map
YMLT Location in Tasmania
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 14R/32L 1,981 6,499 Asphalt 14L/32R 700 2,297 Grass 18/36 690 2,264 Grass
Statistics (2013–2014)
Passenger 1,278,000 01 !5%
Source: Passengers numbers from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.

Launceston Airport (IATA: LST, ICAO: YMLT) 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.^[1] 309,000 passengers passed through in January – March 2008, the highest ever number in a calendar quarter, up 11% on the previous year.^[2] It is currently Australia's 13th busiest airport, handling 1,126,572 passengers in the 2008–09 financial and 1,124,000 million passengers in the 2009–10 financial year. The total number of passenger movements through Launceston Airport is projected to increase annually by 2.7 per cent during the forecast period to 2,000,000 million in 2030–31. The expected growth rate reflects slower forecast longer term economic growth in Australia, the maturation of the impact of low-cost carriers on passenger movement growth and an expected increase in domestic airfares.^[3][4]

History

Main hall in Launceston Airport terminal viewed from security looking toward baggage claim and car rentals

Exterior of airport terminal. View of entry to arrivals hall

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.^[5] 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 Island.

From August 1940 until late 1944, the airport used by the Royal Australian Air Force as a base for No. 7 Elementary Flying Training School. It was Tasmania's only RAAF Base.^[6] Two of the Bellman hangars from this period are still located at the airport, on the southern Freight and GA operations area.

In 1962 under the leadership of Tony John OAM, a plan for major redevelopment of the airport was approved. This included strengthening of all pavements, a runway extension, and a new terminal building.^[7] 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 privatised, 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 aircraftmovements at Launceston Airport. In 2007 the airport reached the milestone of one million passengermovements per year. Tiger Airways Australia also introduced services, and withdrew again in July 2010.^[8]

Terminal

New arrivals area

Tasmania has some of the world's strictest quarantine policies. Upon arrival, bags are scanned and a sniffer dog smells for any fruits, vegetables, flowers etc.

Virgin Blue passengers disembarking at Launceston Airport

Main hall in Launceston Airport terminal viewed from the southern end (baggage claim and car rentals) looking toward check in and security

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 café outlets; Hudsons Coffee, Delaware North and News Travels, a News and Gift Shop, that all opened in July 2008.^[9][10]

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 1,200 m² (13,000 sq ft) at apron level. The gate lounges for departing passengers were constructed along with a 100 m² (1,100 sq ft) extension of the landside lounge floor, bringing the landside lounge area to 800 m² (8,600 sq ft). 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.^[10] 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 500 m² (5,400 sq ft) 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.^[11] 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.^[11][12]

Airlines and destinations

Virgin Australia currently has up to four daily flights from Melbourne, one from Sydney, and a seasonal flight to Brisbane from Spring to Summer, Jetstar has up to six daily flights from Melbourne, once to/from Sydney flies to/from Brisbane once daily throughout the year, QantasLink flies only four times from Melbourne using Bombardier Dash 8 Aircraft.^[13]

Passenger

Cargo

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.^[14]

Busiest Domestic Passenger Routes out of Launceston Airport (Year ending June 2013)[15] Rank Airport Passengers handled % change 1 01 !Victoria Melbourne 872,800 01 !4.4 2 02 !New South Wales Sydney 272,600 02 !22.4

Statistics for Launceston Airport[16][17][18][19] Year Total passengers Aircraftmovements 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 2007-08 1,106,000 2008-09 1,127,000 2009-10 1,131,000 2010-11 1,156,000 2011-12 1,130,000 2012-13 1,184,000 2013-14 1,278,000 2014-15 1,293,000 2020-21 1,551,000 2025-26 1,848,000 2030-31 2,493,000

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.^[20][21][22]

Accidents and incidents

On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737 – en route from Melbourne Airport – was involved in an attempted hijacking shortly after takeoff. The would-be 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 Robinson, and the aircraft returned to Melbourne, where it landed safely.^[23][24]

See also

• List of airports in Tasmania
• Transport in Australia

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Launceston Airport.

• Official website

Royal Australian Air Force bases
Current bases	RAAF Base Amberley RAAF Station Bundaberg RAAF Station Camden RAAF Curtin RAAF Base Darwin RAAF Base East Sale RAAF Base Edinburgh RAAF Gingin RAAF Base Glenbrook RAAF Learmonth RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Richmond RAAF Scherger RAAF Base Tindal RAAF Base Townsville RAAF Base Wagga RAAF Williams RAAF Base Williamtown RAAF Woomera Airfield
Former bases	RAAF Base Albion Park RAAF Station Archerfield RAAF Station Bairnsdale RAAF Base Bowen RAAF Base Cairns RAAF Base Coffs Harbour RAAF Station Cunderdin RAAF Base Daly Waters RAAF Station Deniliquin RAAF Base Evans Head RAAF Base Fairbairn RAAF Base Gove RAAF Station Guildford RAAF Base Horn Island RAAF Jervis Bay RAAF Base Mallala RAAF Station Mascot RAAF Base Moruya RAAF Base Mildura RAAF Base Nabiac RAAF Station Narrandera RAAF Station Narromine RAAF Station Nowra RAAF Base Oakey RAAF Base Parafield RAAF Station Pokolbin RAAF Base Rathmines RAAF Station Parkes RAAF Station Sandgate RAAF Station Schofields RAAF Base Temora RAAF Base Tengah (Singapore) RAAF Station Tocumwal RAAF Ubon (Thailand) RAAF Base Uranquinty RAAF Station West Sale RAAF Base Western Junction
Overseas bases	RAAF Base Butterworth (Malaysia) RAAF Base Cocos Island (Cocos (Keeling) Islands) RAAF Base Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)
Shared bases	Defence Establishment Orchard Hills
Flying boat bases	Lake Boga Flying Boat Base RAAF Base Rathmines
RAAFs Curtin, Learmonth and Scherger are so-called "bare bases"