The federal government has released a report showing the number of air passengers is to double to 279 million by 2030.
The forecast statistics issued by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) are based on projected sustained economic growth over the next 20 years. It estimates passenger growth will continue at an average 3.7 per cent a year, with international services tipped to grow 3.3 per cent and domestic demand by 4.9 per cent.
Passenger growth will add to already congested major airports’ woes. The report doesn’t identify how government policy will evolve to facilitate the growth in demand, something that has been – in the case of Sydney – an intractable debate between federal and state authorities.
Growth at the respective airports is forecast as follows:
- 3.6 per cent a year in Sydney to 72.0 million in 2030–31;
- 3.9 per cent a year in Melbourne to 60.4 million in 2030–31;
- 4.2 per cent a year in Brisbane to 45.1 million in 2030–31;
- 3.1 per cent a year in Adelaide to 13.5 million in 2030–31;
- 4.4 per cent a year in Perth to 25.7 million in 2030–31;
- 3.0 per cent a year in Hobart to 3.5 million in 2030–31;
- 4.2 per cent a year in Darwin to 4.2 million in 2030–31;
- 3.3 per cent a year in Canberra to 6.1 million in 2030–31;
- 3.1 per cent a year in Newcastle to 2.2 million in 2030–31;
- 3.7 per cent a year in Cairns to 8.0 million in 2030–31.
