Regional Express has been unsuccessful in proceedings it brought against the Dubbo City Council in the NSW Land & Environment Court.
The airline had argued that it should not have to pay screening charges or be forced to pass the costs of doing so at Dubbo Airport on to its passengers.
The action was brought against Dubbo City Council after rival QantasLink commenced Q400 services to the western NSW centre. The Q400 is above the 20,000kg threshold requirement for passenger and baggage screening which, as the airport owner, council was required to conduct. Council determined in October 2012 that all passengers entering the airside area of the airport should be screened, regardless of what airline they were travelling on, and that all screening costs be passed on to those passengers.
In a statement on the council’s Facebook page, Dubbo Mayor Councillor Mathew Dickerson said: “The decision confirms that Council can conduct security screening services at Dubbo City Regional Airport on a full cost recovery basis, that costs can be charged to all regular passenger transport operators using the Airport, and that fees be spread across all flying passengers including those of both Regional Express Airlines (Rex) and QantasLink.”
