News & Discussion: Adelaide Airport & Airlines

[rev]

No, just thought it was curious that you were having a dig at people at an upmarket bar, then having a dig at people who fly budget airlines, within minutes of each other.

I wasn't having a dig at people who fly budget airlines..I was using slang because I was lazy and felt like it.

[Vee]

Virgin flights connecting Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin

Virgin Australia flights connect Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide
Monday, 30 March 2015
Travelling to and from Central Australia becomes even easier from today with the first of Virgin Australia’s new Alice Springs flights arriving from Darwin.

Operating three times a week, the services connect Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. Conveniently timed, passengers can depart Darwin in the early morning for Adelaide via Alice Springs, and return to the NT in the early afternoon. The flights will also increase connections from Europe and Asia through to Alice Springs via Darwin.

NT Airports CEO Ian Kew said the new flights bring a number of benefits for travellers, including international travel opportunities with Virgin partner SilkAir, which will be flying to Darwin six times a week from May.

“Adding services on this important route creates options for Territory travellers, as well as inbound tourism and business segments,” he said. “With a total of 41 weekly return services to the Northern Territory, Virgin Australia and its partner airlines* are now well positioned to enhance international visitor opportunities to the NT. A large range of open-jaw flying opportunities enables overseas visitors to combine flights to Darwin, Alice Springs and Uluru from all of Australia’s major gateways, including Darwin with SilkAir.

“Improving air access across the NT is one of the key aims of our route development strategy, which was recognised at the recent Routes Asia Awards. We’ve been working with Virgin Australia to promote the new flights, and will continue to offer our support as time goes on.

“From today, Virgin passengers will also be able to enjoy two new Territory lounges. The 560 square metre Darwin lounge, constructed as part of the airport’s Terminal Expansion Project, is a contemporary new space that will seat 130. The team in Alice has had a busy few months preparing for its new regional lounge, another first for the Territory.”

Virgin Australia Chief Commercial Officer Judith Crompton said: “The opening of Virgin Australia lounges in Darwin and Alice Springs is an important step in bringing strong competition to the Northern Territory.
“Lounges are a strategic investment to attract business and premium travellers to the region, directly benefiting the local community..... "

The new flights will be operated by Virgin Australia’s 176-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which includes complimentary wireless inflight entertainment for all passengers.
For more information, visit virginaustralia.com.au/flynt

Timetables:
http://darwinairport.com.au/newsroom/vi ... d-adelaide

[Patrick_27]

Was at the airport this morning and there appears to be some development activity.

A small site-office + toilet has been established under the shelter of the old short term parking exit shelter (where the airport hotel will eventually go), and fencing has been erected under the footbridge (from the car-park to terminal) with machinery inside the area. I'd not have thought much of it, but they have banner's around the fence which suggested the commencement of the five years of development.

[crawf]

The Adelaide Airport website has also been a given a major revamp. Couple of issues, but looks good
http://www.adelaideairport.com.au

It's crazy how much Adelaide Airport has massively improved in the last decade. From Australia's worst airport to now one of the best... if not the best airport in Australia.



It's only just going to continue to get better with the next big development.

[Norman]

I do like how they incorporated Adelaide Metro's RealTime on the Public Transport information page, good stuff [THUMBS UP SIGN]

[fifty]

Still got an utterly crap, nonsensical, illogical pick-up/drop-off arrangement!

I'll let myself out....

[rev]

I don't see what everyone's issue with the drop off/pick up location is.
The only problem I can see is that it's limited in capacity. There's nothing wrong with a short walk into the terminal.

[Llessur2002]

I don't see what everyone's issue with the drop off/pick up location is.
The only problem I can see is that it's limited in capacity. There's nothing wrong with a short walk into the terminal.

Agree with this - it's comparable to many airports I've used in terms of capacity vs demand. Plus, I think in today's world of heightened security the days where anyone can drive a private car up to the doors of an international airport terminal are well and truly numbered. Look what happened at Glasgow airport in 2007 and how bad the consequences could have been if the person involved didn't mess it up royally and get hit in the face by that car park attendant. I would expect to see more airports follow Adelaide's lead and relocate drop-off areas to a similar distance from the terminal building. It's not exactly a long hilly walk - even with suitcases.

[Maximus]

Agree with this - it's comparable to many airports I've used in terms of capacity vs demand. Plus, I think in today's world of heightened security the days where anyone can drive a private car up to the doors of an international airport terminal are well and truly numbered. Look what happened at Glasgow airport in 2007 and how bad the consequences could have been if the person involved didn't mess it up royally and get hit in the face by that car park attendant. I would expect to see more airports follow Adelaide's lead and relocate drop-off areas to a similar distance from the terminal building. It's not exactly a long hilly walk - even with suitcases.

Exactly. The pick-up/drop-off arrangement has been designed to meet Federal Government aviation security guidelines. We'll likely see all Australian airports move to this sort of arrangement over time.

[fifty]

Agree with this - it's comparable to many airports I've used in terms of capacity vs demand. Plus, I think in today's world of heightened security the days where anyone can drive a private car up to the doors of an international airport terminal are well and truly numbered. Look what happened at Glasgow airport in 2007 and how bad the consequences could have been if the person involved didn't mess it up royally and get hit in the face by that car park attendant. I would expect to see more airports follow Adelaide's lead and relocate drop-off areas to a similar distance from the terminal building. It's not exactly a long hilly walk - even with suitcases.

Exactly. The pick-up/drop-off arrangement has been designed to meet Federal Government aviation security guidelines. We'll likely see all Australian airports move to this sort of arrangement over time.

Do the regulations specify co-location of drop-off and pick-up? This is my only beef. A simple ramp up to the first level for drop-offs, and back down to ground level would have been very simple. It smacks of pure cost cutting to me, and idiocy especially when there is a structure already in place with an elevated walkway over to departures in the terminal.

I've personally got no problem whatsoever with the setback from the terminal, although would point out that international metropolises with far, far greater security and terrorism threats, designed and built around the same time as Adelaide, have their (separated) drop-off and pick-up zones maybe only half the distance back. Take your pick... HKG, CMB, SIN T3, BKK, RGN, KUL, HAN, etc, etc... Same goes for the main European hubs.

[Maximus]

Do the regulations specify co-location of drop-off and pick-up? This is my only beef. A simple ramp up to the first level for drop-offs, and back down to ground level would have been very simple. It smacks of pure cost cutting to me, and idiocy especially when there is a structure already in place with an elevated walkway over to departures in the terminal.

Mate, I don't know. They're guidelines, not regulations, and I don't believe they're publicly accessible.

I do agree with you about separating drop-offs and pick-ups. But no need for us to continue... we've discussed this before.

[Patrick_27]

Agree with this - it's comparable to many airports I've used in terms of capacity vs demand. Plus, I think in today's world of heightened security the days where anyone can drive a private car up to the doors of an international airport terminal are well and truly numbered. Look what happened at Glasgow airport in 2007 and how bad the consequences could have been if the person involved didn't mess it up royally and get hit in the face by that car park attendant. I would expect to see more airports follow Adelaide's lead and relocate drop-off areas to a similar distance from the terminal building. It's not exactly a long hilly walk - even with suitcases.

Exactly. The pick-up/drop-off arrangement has been designed to meet Federal Government aviation security guidelines. We'll likely see all Australian airports move to this sort of arrangement over time.

I beg to differ, if Melbourne and Perth airports long-term plans are anything to go by neither show any intention of moving to this sort of arrangement. Even Canberra's airport which was completed within a similar time-frame to our airport car-park have adopted the pick-up/drop-off arrangement we once had. I don't understand why Adelaide Airport have taken this expensive step forward when no other state has any such plans.

[Maximus]

Even Canberra's airport which was completed within a similar time-frame to our airport car-park have adopted the pick-up/drop-off arrangement we once had.

Not exactly correct... The ground-level road running past the terminal at Canberra Airport is for taxis and commercial vehicles only. You're not allowed to do private pick-ups -- you have to park your car first (10 mins free parking). And while you can drop off passengers outside the terminal on the upper level, the stopping points are on the 'wings' of that road, rather than directly out the front of the terminal.

Having said all that, Canberra Airport is certainly better-designed in many respects. The U-shaped terminal road allows the multi-storey carparks to be on the terminal-side of the road, which means they're extremely close to the terminal and there's no need for any pedestrian/vehicle conflict. There's also a taxi-queuing system that allows you to wait inside the terminal for your taxi -- very handy when it's minus 5 degrees outside on a winter's morning! And, finally, what looks like just a regular, pretty garden bed immediately outside the terminal on the upper-level road is actually a strengthened wall designed to withstand a certain level of explosion (e.g. a car bomb).

[adam73837]

When I flew in to the airport on Sunday morning I noticed a 747 Freighter parked on the southern end of the terminal. I think it was "Silk Way Airlines" or something. Does anyone know what this was all about? I didn't realise we in South Australia had much trade with Azerbaijan...

[ChillyPhilly]

A number of days ago there was a Malaysia Airlines 747 dropping into Adelaide.