Australian Airports to Swap Ideas
Regional airport managers from all over Australia will share their experience, knowledge and ideas during a two-day conference in Sydney on February 10-11th, 2010.
With the future of several Australian regional airports now threatened by pressure from real estate developers, the conference will be focusing on input from executives of successful and profitable airports on maximising revenue while reducing dependence on passenger charges, and securing the futures of their airports while also enhancing their utility and service levels.
Airports represented range from those at major regional centres to facilities at small centres which sometimes only employ one local government worker. Smaller airports will benefit from 12 “case studies” to be presented by airport executives from Albury, Bendigo, Bundaberg, Derby-Curtin, Geraldton, Latrobe Valley, Mildura, Mudgee, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Taree and Temora. Most regional airports were acquired by local governments in the early nineties as part of the Commonwealth’s Airport Local Ownership Plan. Several regional airports have since won business and infrastructure awards, while others are floundering as a result of indifferent management, poor planning, and the pressures generated by ever-present real estate developers.
Speakers will focus on business aspects such as:
- Recognising your cash flow potential by thinking and operating as a business;
- Best-practice in design, planning and construction of new facilities;
- Mitigating investment risk with a comprehensive master plan;
- Developing your airport into a commercial and community asset; and
- Negotiating deals with airlines to secure passenger numbers
The 12 speakers, along with three separate workshops, will also deal with all aspects of planning, finance, insurance, regulatory issues, contracts, property leasing, private sector partnering, safety, security, customer service, fostering aviation facilities, stimulation of demand, and ensuring commercial competitiveness.
Most of Australia’s regional airlines are also expected to be represented at the forum, which is managed by Sydney-based International Quality & Productivity Centre (IQPC) .
