Perth Airport
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Perth Airport is an
international International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...
,
domestic Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes cal ...
and
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
airport serving
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
,
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
. It is the fourth busiest airport in Australia measured by passenger movements and falls within the boundaries of the cities of Belmont, Kalamunda and
Swan Swans are birds of the genus ''Cygnus'' within the family Anatidae. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe (biology) ...
. Perth Airport and
Jandakot Airport Jandakot Airport is a general aviation (GA) airport in Jandakot, Western Australia that opened in 1963, about south-southwest of Perth Airport. Originally built on unproductive farm lands, it is now among residential suburbs in the south of ...
, the other civilian airport within the mainland
Perth metropolitan region The Perth metropolitan region or the Perth metropolitan area is the administrative area and geographical extent of the Western Australian capital city of Perth and its conurbation. It generally includes the coastal strip from Two Rocks in the ...
located about south-southwest of the general aviation area of the airport, recorded a combined total of 362,782 aircraft movements in 2017. Perth Airport covers a total of 2,105
hectares The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. A ...
(5,202
acres The acre ( ) is a unit of land area used in the British imperial and the United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, ...
) of airport property. Since 1997, it has been operated by Perth Airport Pty Ltd under a 99-year lease from the
federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
.


Location

The airport is located approximately east of the
Perth central business district Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
. It is one of three civilian airports within the
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
metropolitan area, the others being
Jandakot Airport Jandakot Airport is a general aviation (GA) airport in Jandakot, Western Australia that opened in 1963, about south-southwest of Perth Airport. Originally built on unproductive farm lands, it is now among residential suburbs in the south of ...
and
Rottnest Island Airport Rottnest Island Airport is a small airport for light aircraft, situated about from the main settlement at Thomson Bay, Rottnest Island and northwest of Fremantle. Daily air services operate to the island. In the past these have been from Per ...
. Besides the civilian airports, there are also two military airports within the Perth metropolitan area. The larger of the two is
RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base in Western Australia, located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Pearce is the busies ...
, to the north of Perth Airport, at Bullsbrook. The other is south-west of Perth Airport, and is a part of the military base of
HMAS Stirling HMAS ''Stirling'' is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base that is part of Fleet Base West situated on the west coast of Australia, on the Indian Ocean. The base is located on Garden Island in the state of Western Australia, near the city of P ...
on
Garden Island A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...
. Perth Airport is located on the Aboriginal traditional Whadjak-
Noongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian people who live in the South West, Western Australia, south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton, Western Aus ...
country.


Growth and impact

The airport saw strong passenger growth from 2000 to 2012, primarily due to the state's prolonged mining boom and an increase in traffic from international low-cost carrier airlines. By the end of June 2012, Perth Airport experienced passenger growth of 11.7% internationally and 6.9% domestically, resulting in an overall increase of 10.3%. Passenger numbers trebled in the 10 years from 2002 to 2012 with more than 12.6 million people travelling through the airport in 2012. Since 2012, the winding down of the mining boom has seen the demand for both intra- and interstate services contract, with domestic passengers falling from a peak of 9.9 million (as of June 2013) to 9.5 million by the end of June 2016. The growth in passenger numbers since 2012 has been wholly due to expansion of international services from the city. The first mining boom in 1979 had 679,000 passengers use the airport. This number now travels through the airport every eighteen days. As well as passenger movements however, complaints about the impact of the airport on the residents of Perth have grown. The
City of Canning The City of Canning is a local government area in the southeastern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, about southeast of Perth's central business district. The City covers an area of and had a population of approximately ...
, one area that is affected, accepts that "
aircraft noise Aircraft noise pollution refers to noise produced by aircraft in flight that has been associated with several negative stress-mediated health effects, from sleep disorders to cardiovascular disorders. Governments have enacted extensive control ...
is an important issue" and that " tdoes impact heavily on those suburbs under the flightpaths". Another affected area, the
City of Swan The City of Swan is a Local government areas of Western Australia, local government area of Western Australia, in the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, eastern metropolitan region of Perth. It is named after the Swan River (Western Austral ...
, "has experienced significant issues". Indeed, planning policy adopted by the
Government of Western Australia The Government of Western Australia is the States and territories of Australia, Australian state democratic administrative authority of Western Australia. It is also commonly referred to as the WA Government or the Western Australian Governmen ...
recognises that some aircraft noise is “not compatible with residential or educational” land use, two fundamental uses of land in any
conurbation A conurbation is a region consisting of a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ...
that is home to over two million residents—such as
Greater Perth Greater Perth is Perth's Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA), a geographical area designed to represent the functional extent of Western Australia's (WA) capital city. The Greater Perth GCCSA does not define the built up edge of the c ...
.


History


Early days

Prior to the opening of the Perth Airport, civilian air services for the city were provided from Maylands Aerodrome as well as on the city's foreshore at Langley Park. By the end of the 1930s, it became clear that the Maylands Aerodrome was limited in the size and speed of aircraft it was able to handle thus causing them to seek an alternative site for a future airport. Site selection and preparation of the original plans was undertaken by NM Fricker of the Department of Civil Aviation. In 1938, land was selected and purchased for the new aerodrome. The site selected in what was at the time
Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...
, was an area of land granted by Governor James Stirling to local man John Scott, which later became the long disused Dunreath Golf Course. A plaque located on a roadside wall of the old International terminal remains in permanent memory of Scott:


Military operations

Even before civil aviation operations could commence at the new site, the onset of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
saw the facility being redesigned for military purposes as a temporary base for the
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
and
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
, known as ''RAAF Station Guildford'', primarily to supplement
RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base in Western Australia, located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Pearce is the busies ...
. Royal Australian Air Force No. 85 Squadron was based there from February 1943. Despite military use of the airfield, civil services operated by
Qantas Empire Airways Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...
and
Australian National Airways Australian National Airways (ANA) was Australia's predominant aerial carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s. The Holyman's Airways period On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.I ...
(ANA) commenced from the location in 1944. This was despite bitter protest from military authorities who felt civilian operations would undermine the defence and camouflage needs of the location. The move was agreed to by the government, as the larger types of aircraft of the day being operated by the two airlines could simply not be handled at Maylands, notwithstanding the small grass airfield, lack of passenger facilities, and approaches being difficult due to surrounding industrial infrastructure. Using
Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...
aircraft, ANA flew the first commercial service from the aerodrome to
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
. On 17 June 1944, Qantas made its inaugural flight to
Ceylon Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
via
Exmouth Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort situated on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe, southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of settl ...
using a modified
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
, arriving in Perth on 3 June 1944 having been released to the airline by the
British Government His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
.


Early civilian operations

Full civilian operations at the Guildford Aerodrome commenced in 1944. Civil operations at Maylands continued albeit reduced until 30 June 1963, when the airport closed and its function as a secondary airport was taken over by
Jandakot Airport Jandakot Airport is a general aviation (GA) airport in Jandakot, Western Australia that opened in 1963, about south-southwest of Perth Airport. Originally built on unproductive farm lands, it is now among residential suburbs in the south of ...
the very next day. Guildford Aerodrome was at best only a basic airfield. On a large open airfield with plenty of space, an unobtrusive control tower was hidden away amongst a collection of buildings inherited from the wartime operations at the site. The Department of Civil Aviation inherited a large number of operating vehicles from the former military occupants, including an assortment of vehicles including (Ford or Chevrolet)
Blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, several ships of the Prussian, Imperia ...
wagons,
Dodge Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence, Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
command cars and weapon carriers, large trucks and various makes of fire tenders, jeeps and ambulances. Boarding aircraft at Guildford was described as being a bit like boarding a bus given the lack of passenger facilities at the time. In 1948, the Horrie Miller owned MacRobertson Miller Airlines relocated from Maylands to Guildford. followed by newly formed government airline
Trans Australia Airlines Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), renamed Australian Airlines in 1986, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its merger with Qantas in September 1992. As a result of the "COBRA" (or Common Bran ...
(TAA) on 2 December of that same year, operating
Douglas C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilia ...
s on its Perth –
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
 –
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
route. Due to the lack of road transportation across the
Nullarbor Plain The Nullarbor Plain ( ; Latin: feminine of 'no' and 'tree') is part of the area of flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia, located on the Great Australian Bight coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its no ...
, it was at this time that Guildford became the scene of very busy cargo operations. Fresh fruit, vegetables and manufactured goods were being flown from east to west and back again. The airport was granted international status in September 1952, and renamed from Guildford Aerodrome to Perth Airport in March 1953. Officiated by the Federal Minister for Civil Aviation, Hubert Anthony, the official ceremony for the renaming took place on the main apron in front of a converted
Bellman hangar The Bellman Hangar was designed in the United Kingdom in 1936 by the Directorate of Works structural engineer, N. S. Bellman, as a temporary aircraft hangar capable of being erected or dismantled by unskilled labour with simple equipment and to b ...
used by TAA as its passenger terminal. At the time, a new international terminal building was under construction but had not been completed in time for the ceremony. This new terminal was being constructed using steel and cladding recycled from American-built military quonset buildings being dismantled and shipped over from
Manus Island Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth-largest island in Papua New Guinea, with an area of , measuring around . Manus Island is covered in rugged jungles w ...
. It was also on this day that Qantas commenced its Wallaby service using
Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first civil airliner family to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cab ...
s from Sydney to South Africa via Perth, the
Cocos Islands The Cocos (Keeling) Islands (), officially the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (; ), are an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean, comprising a small archipelago approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka and rel ...
and
Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
.


The jet age

Towards the mid-1950s, airline travel was still being used by only a small percentage of the population. At that time, only 8% of the population had ever flown, but as the marketplace evolved, so did the types of people and their reasons for flying. It was at this time the airport began to experience the full effects of the jet age. Both
Air India Air India is the flag carrier of India with its main hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, and secondary hubs at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, alo ...
and Qantas commenced operating
Boeing 707 The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the initial first flew on Decembe ...
s in the mid to late 1950s from Perth to
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and the subcontinent. As the aircraft of the day grew faster more demanding due to their sophistication, facilities at the airport continued to improve to accommodate them. By the mid-1960s the airport was serving its first domestic pure jet engine aircraft, commencing with a
Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
in 1964, and the
Douglas DC-9 The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast, single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was initially produced as the Douglas DC-9 prior to August 1967, after which point the company had merged with McDonnell ...
in 1967, both types operated by TAA and Ansett ANA. It was at this time that the airport was one of the few major airports in the country which operated without curfews, and due to the increased number and frequency of flights operating from the airport it gave birth to what was then referred to as ''the midnight horror'' or ''red-eye special'', known in more recent history as the
red-eye flight In commercial aviation, a red-eye flight refers to a flight that departs at night and arrives the next morning, especially when the total flight time is insufficient for passengers to get a full night's sleep. The term derives from red eyes as ...
.


Demise of the hangar terminals

In 1960, the then international terminal previously constructed from steel and cladding from Manus Island was dismantled and re-erected in the suburb of Cannington. Known as the ''Alco'' building, it was re-designed for use as a commercial facility. The removal of the steel structure made way for the construction of an entirely new combined domestic and international passenger terminal, constructed on the northern side of the airfield. It was in 1962 that airlines were able to move from their hangars into a new combined passenger terminal, designed by the Commonwealth Department of Works and opened just in time to handle
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, from 22 November to 1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North ...
traffic increases. The new combined terminal was opened that same year by then Minister for Civil Aviation, Senator
Shane Paltridge Sir Shane Dunne Paltridge KBE (11 January 1910 – 21 January 1966) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the Menzies Government as Minister for Shipping and Transport (1955–1960), Civil Aviation ( ...
; it was built in an area positioned between the present terminals 3 and 4 and is currently used as the crew base for both Qantas and Jetstar, and offices for airlines and support firms.


International terminal development

From 1962 onwards, both the domestic and international passenger operations at the airport were provided by a single terminal. When it opened, the terminal's facilities included an observation deck, a pond with black swans, and a cocktail lounge named the ''Orbit Inne'', which became popular with locals as it was the only place in Perth that served drinks on Sunday nights. By the arrival of the
Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
on 3 September 1971, the terminal had reached its capacity, and modelling of future passenger numbers showed it would be unable to handle any further increases in passenger demand. In November 1980, the Federal Transport Minister, Ralph Hunt, announced that a new international terminal would be built in Perth at a cost of , equivalent to in . Design of the new international terminal commenced in 1982, with one of the key principles of the design being the allowance for easy future expansion as the needs of the airport dictated. The project called for the construction of a new terminal, apron, airside roads, access roads, car parks and other passenger facilities. Construction of the new international terminal and control tower commenced in March 1984 on the south-eastern side of the airfield. In 1984, the road leading to the new terminal, Horrie Miller Drive was named in honour of local aviation pioneer Horrie Miller. The terminal was officially opened on 25 October 1986 by Prime Minister
Bob Hawke Robert James Lee Hawke (9 December 1929 – 16 May 2019) was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as the 23rd prime minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991. He held office as the Australian Labor Party, leader of the La ...
, with the new terminal receiving passengers just days after. The newly built control tower was the tallest in Australia at the time of its construction, and remains the tallest in Australia. Upon completion, the terminal was able to process up to five
Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
aircraft per hour and accommodated a peak passenger volume of 6,000 passengers per hour. Twenty years later, in the 12 months to June 2006 the terminal processed over 2.027 million passengers, surpassing a 1996 projection of 1.016 million passengers in that period.


1988 onwards

In the late 1980s the Federal Government, as a prelude to eventual privatisation, formed the
Federal Airports Corporation The Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) was a business enterprise of the Government of Australia responsible for the operation of major passenger airports in Australia. It was established by the Hawke government by an act of parliament in 1987 and ...
(FAC). In 1988, the FAC took over as manager of Perth Airport (and many other Australian airports). It was also during this time that
Australian Airlines Australian Airlines was a full-service airline based in Australia, serving Australian and Asian destinations between 2002 and 2006. It was an all-economy, full-service international leisure carrier, and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qant ...
(now
Qantas Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...
domestic) and Ansett both set about building their own domestic terminals on the northern side of the terminal, where they still stand today as terminal 4 and terminal 3 respectively. Following the collapse of Ansett in 2001, terminal 3 became a multi-user terminal, catering for flights from former Ansett-subsidiary
Skywest SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah. SkyWest operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by four partner mainline airlines. The company is contracted by ...
, as well as
Virgin Australia Virgin Australia, formerly known as Virgin Blue, is an Australian airline based in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of two active airlines (the other being Virgin Atlantic) to use the Virgin Group, Virgin brand, as well as the larger by fleet ...
, Tiger Airways Australia,
Air Australia Strategic Airlines Pty Ltd, trading as Air Australia Airways, was an Australian airline flying domestic and international scheduled passenger flights. Strategic Aviation, a sister company, flew air charter flights using the Air Australia fle ...
and charter airlines including
Alliance Airlines Alliance Airlines Pty Limited is an Australian airline based at Brisbane Airport in Brisbane, Queensland, with operational bases in Adelaide Airport, Adelaide, Cairns Airport, Cairns, Perth Airport, Perth, Townsville Airport, Townsville, Darwi ...
. Terminals 3 and 4 are now used exclusively by Qantas and its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar. In July 1997 Perth Airport took up a 99-year lease as part of the Federal Government's push to privatise airports. As at February 2024,
Future Fund The Future Fund is an independently managed sovereign wealth fund established in 2006 to strengthen the Australian Government's long-term financial position by making provision for unfunded superannuation liabilities for public servants that wil ...
(30%),
Utilities Trust of Australia Morrison & Co is a specialist global infrastructure manager, investing in both private and listed markets, with offices in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Singapore. History Morrison was founded in 1988 by Lloyd Morri ...
(23%) and
AustralianSuper AustralianSuper is an Australian superannuation fund headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. It is an industry super fund, and so operates through a mutual fund structure. With over 340 billion of retirement savings under management and more t ...
(17%) were the major shareholders. From 2003 to 2004, the International terminal underwent major internal refurbishments to provide an increased array of passenger services, including increased space for duty-free stores and food and beverage concession stands. Further upgrades valued at $25 million (2006) were made to the terminal across 2005 and 2006 which added an additional of floor space, additional check-in counters, and an improved baggage handling and screening system. The airport commemorated its 60th anniversary in 2004, with an event that opened the new ''Taxiway Sierra'', a new taxiway supporting larger aircraft such as the
Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
,
Airbus A340 The Airbus A340 is a long-haul, long-range, wide-body passenger airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of the Airbus A300, A300, its first airliner, and developed the A340 qu ...
and
Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a very large wide-body airliner, developed and produced by Airbus until 2021. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and the only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the pr ...
. On 14 October 2008, the Airbus A380 made its first visit to the airport as a part of Qantas' A380 promotional tour around Australia. The second A380 to visit the airport was an
Emirates Emirates may refer to: * United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective ...
aircraft which made an emergency landing on 15 August 2009, after a passenger on a
Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
to Sydney flight suffered a stroke. In 2012, the
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the chief competition regulator of the Government of Australia, located within the Department of the Treasury. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Tra ...
(ACCC) released a report rating the Perth Airport as the worst in Australia, as judged by airlines. The same report rated it below satisfactory for the second year in a row. However, due to more recent expansions and projects, the airport was awarded capital city airport of the year by the Australian Airports Association at their national conference in 2016. In 2018, Perth Airport was named the best airport in Australia for overall service quality by the ACCC after the completion of a $1 billion redevelopment project over the span of five years. Terminal 2 was officially opened on 28 February 2013, with the first flights operating out of the terminal from 2 March 2013. The single story terminal features
at-grade At-grade may refer to: *At-grade intersection, a crossing between roads on the same level * Road junction *Level crossing, where a road or path crosses a railway on the same level * Diamond crossing, where two railway tracks cross * At-grade railway ...
access to the terminal building and dedicated pick-up and drop-off lanes at the front of the terminal, a centralised passenger security screening zone, three baggage reclaim belts as well 14 aircraft bays, accessible from enclosed walkways and serviced by 8 boarding counters, and 36 additional aircraft parking bays. In April 2015 works commenced on a $42-million upgrade of the forecourt and the passenger pick-up/drop-off areas in front of terminal 1 to improve access. The upgrade was completed in November 2016. In May 2015, Emirates commenced the first Airbus A380 service to Perth from
Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
following the completion of a dual level boarding gate, an expanded check-in hall, a refurbished departure area and other expansions to terminal 1 including a new Emirates business class lounge. In August 2017, Emirates replaced its last remaining Emirates Boeing 777-300ER service with an Airbus A380, taking the total Emirates daily services to two. However, this service was replaced by a
Boeing 777 The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 777 is the world's largest twinjet and the most-built wide-body airliner. ...
in 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. On 1 November 2022, the first regular A380 service resumed. On 22 November 2015 the domestic pier of terminal 1 was opened; the pier became the exclusive home to Virgin Australia. Virgin Australia's partner,
Etihad Airways Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (the other being Emirates). Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Zayed International Airport. The airline commenced operations in November 2003, and ...
began daily direct services from its hub in Abu Dhabi on 16 July 2014; the pier ensures quick and seamless transfers between the two airlines. The pier will also be connected to terminal 2 via an elevated walkway allowing seamless transfer to Virgin's regional services without having to be re-screened. On 15 May 2016, the world's largest commercial jet airliner, the Antonov An-225 ''Mriya'' landed at Perth Airport, making its first visit to Perth and Australia. On 11 December 2016, Qantas announced that it would commence non-stop flights from Perth to
London Heathrow Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdo ...
with one of its newly acquired
Boeing 787 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, wh ...
s. To achieve this the Qantas domestic terminals at terminals 3 and 4 were upgraded during 2017 to cater for international flights. Once completed the existing Qantas flights to Singapore and Auckland also migrated from terminal 1 to terminal 3 and 4, with all Qantas' international flights now departing from terminal 3's international section. Services to London started in March 2018. In June 2022 Qantas began direct flights from Perth to
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
to be operated on a seasonal basis, three times a week; this created Perth Airport's second direct connection to Europe. These services were followed by a direct service to Paris Charles de Gaulle beginning in July 2024, the third connection to Europe. In May 2018, Qatar Airways upgraded their Perth-Doha service from the
Boeing 777 The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 777 is the world's largest twinjet and the most-built wide-body airliner. ...
to the
Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a very large wide-body airliner, developed and produced by Airbus until 2021. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and the only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the pr ...
, making them the second airline to begin A380 services to Perth. Although this service was downgraded in 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, Qatar Airways would ultimately resume A380 services to Perth in December 2022. In May 2024, it was announced that terminals 3 and 4 will receive upgrades to create additional capacity for Qantas services before the airline ultimately moves to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct in 2031. In addition, domestic
Jetstar Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, doing business as, trading as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by the ...
services moved to terminal 2 from December 2024, before rejoining Qantas at the new terminal once it is completed. These upgrades are part of an estimated $5 billion investment in the airport which will fund construction of both the new terminal and a third runway as well as two multi-storey carparks and a hotel in the Airport Central precinct. On 28 June 2024,
Rex Airlines Rex Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian regional airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional services using turboprop aircraft. Between 2021 and 2024, Rex also operated jet services between selected major Australian ...
commenced operations to Adelaide using
Embraer E190 The Embraer E-Jet family is a series of four-abreast, narrow-body, short- to medium-range, twin-engined jet airliners designed and produced by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer. The E-Jet was designed to complement Embraer’s earlier ...
s from
National Jet Express National Jet Express (formerly ''Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Regional Services'') is an Australian charter airline and aviation services provider with its headquarters in Perth, Western Australia. History National Jet Express was est ...
, and to Melbourne using their own
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton factory in Washington (state), Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the t ...
aircraft. This marked the first time Rex had flown across the country to Perth. These flights were later withdrawn after Rex entered voluntary administration in July 2024. In October 2024, it was announced that the airport's first hotel Construction of the third runway was also announced to start in early 2025 for a 2028 opening.


Facilities and services

Perth Airport has five terminals: four main terminals and one minor terminal. * On the eastern side of the airport (and the location of the future consolidated terminal precinct) are: ** Terminal 1 (T1), originally known as the International Terminal, caters primarily for flights originating or departing outside Australia, with five
jetways A jet bridge is an enclosed connector which most commonly extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, and in some instances from a port to a boat or ship, allowing passengers to board and disembark without heading outside and being exp ...
and a total of seven
gates Gates is the plural of gate, a point of entry to a space which is enclosed by walls. It may also refer to: People * Gates (surname), various people with the last name * Gates Brown (1939-2013), American Major League Baseball player * Gates McFadd ...
including a Multi Access Ramp System which allows dual boarding of aircraft including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. There are four airline lounges: the
Emirates Emirates may refer to: * United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective ...
lounge; a
Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA or SQ) is the flag carrier of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Changi Airport. Considered to be one of the world's best carriers, the airline is ranked as a 5-star airline as well as ranked ...
Silver Kris lounge; the
Air New Zealand Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 28 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily within the Pacific Rim. The airline h ...
Lounge and the unaffiliated Aspire Lounge. The Emirates lounge has a second level and offers direct boarding on their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. In November 2015, a new domestic pier opened at the west end of T1 to service
Virgin Australia Virgin Australia, formerly known as Virgin Blue, is an Australian airline based in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of two active airlines (the other being Virgin Atlantic) to use the Virgin Group, Virgin brand, as well as the larger by fleet ...
domestic flights. The domestic pier has eight gates and contains a Virgin Australia lounge. It is connected to T2 by a walkway. ** Terminal 2 (T2) is located to the immediate south west of T1 and caters primarily for regional services. Virgin Australia Regional and Alliance commenced operations from T2 in 2013 whilst
Rex Airlines Rex Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian regional airline based in Mascot, New South Wales. It operates scheduled regional services using turboprop aircraft. Between 2021 and 2024, Rex also operated jet services between selected major Australian ...
commenced operations from T2 in 2016. In September 2024, domestic
Jetstar Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, doing business as, trading as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by the ...
services transferred operations from T3 and T4 to T2. The terminal contains an Alliance lounge. * On the western side of the airport are the remaining terminals; terminals T3 and T4 adjoin each other, with Qantas having exclusive use of both terminals since the movement of Virgin Australia to T1. The Perth Airport Master Plan outlines these two terminals will ultimately be demolished and replaced by a single new terminal east of T1. ** Terminal 3 (T3) has five jetways and a total of nine gates. It is currently used by Qantas for its domestic and international flights; for this latter purpose the terminal has been outfitted with customs and immigration facilities, and contains an international arrivals concourse. T3 contains two Qantas lounges, with one dedicated to the airline's international passengers. ** Terminal 4 (T4) has four jetways and a total of nine gates and is dedicated to the domestic operations of Qantas and
QantasLink QantasLink is a full-service, Regional airline, regional brand of Australian flag carrier airline Qantas. As of 2024, QantasLink provides over 2,000 flights each week to 65 metropolitan, regional and remote destinations across Australia, as wel ...
. The terminal also facilitates check in for Qantas' international services. It has two member lounges: The
Qantas Club Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...
, which was expanded in March 2013 to cater for an additional 140 passengers; and the Qantas Domestic Business Lounge, which opened in 2014. ** There is also a
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
terminal to the north of T3 and T4 simply called General Aviation that is used primarily by some charter aircraft and for mining companies with
fly-in fly-out Fly-in fly-out is a method of employing people in remote areas by flying them temporarily to the work site instead of relocating employees and their families permanently. It is often abbreviated to FIFO when referring to employment status. This i ...
services, with Jandakot airport also serving that function.


Runways

Flights are serviced by two runways – the main 03/21 runway, and 06/24, . In 1965, Runway 03/21 was extended from to to accommodate Boeing 707s. After a 10-month project, a reconstructed cross runway was opened on 21 October 2005. The upgrades involved significant strengthening works and enlargement of turning nodes to accommodate regular operations by wide bodied aircraft, including the Airbus A380.


Meteorological services

Meteorological services for Perth Airport commenced in May 1944, provided by the Guildford Meteorological Office situated at Ivy Street, Redcliffe. In March 1988, surface observations were moved to the recently vacated old airport tower on the northern side of the airfield (near what is now Terminal 3). The Ivy Street location was retained for a time for radar services and the launching and tracking of
weather balloon A weather balloon, also known as a sounding balloon, is a balloon (specifically a type of high-altitude balloon) that carries instruments to the stratosphere to send back information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind spe ...
s. In October 1997, all operations from the Ivy Street Office and Old Control Tower were transferred to a newly constructed office on the Northern Perimeter Road in Belmont, in the north-eastern corner of the airfield.


Landing patterns and approach

Perth Airport resides within the Melbourne
FIR Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus ''Abies'' () in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genu ...
, which is managed by Melbourne Centre and operated by
Airservices Australia Airservices Australia is an Australian Government-owned corporation, responsible for providing services to the aviation industry within the Australian Flight Information Region (FIR). Some of Airservices Australia’s responsibilities includ ...
.


Observation areas

There are two dedicated spotting areas at Perth Airport. Terminal T1 has an Observation Deck on level 3 to view departing and arriving aircraft. It has vending machines, toilets (downstairs) and flight information displays. The second spotting area is to the west side opposing the threshold of Runway 03 located along Dunreath Drive. The public viewing area has a shelter in the shape of the body section of a Boeing 747, and displays of information about the history of aviation.


Other services

The
Australian Transport Safety Bureau The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB is the federal government body responsible for investigating transport-related accidents and incidents within Australia. It covers ai ...
has its Perth regional office on Level 2 of the Hkew Alpha Building on the property of Perth Domestic Airport. Since May 2014, terminals T1 International, T2 Regional and T3 Domestic have a free
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
connection currently powered by
iiNet iiNet Limited is an Australian internet service provider and telecommunications company that sells NBN plans, 4G and 5G Home Wireless Internet and services on its ULTRA Broadband Cable, FTTB and VDSL2 networks. iiNet also sells mobile pho ...
. It is accessible throughout the entirety of the departure and arrival areas. Currently, T4 Qantas Domestic also has free Wi-Fi service provided by
Qantas Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...
. The
Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC WA) is a motoring club and mutual organisation, offering motoring services and advice, insurance, travel services, finance, driver training and exclusive benefits for their members. As an indep ...
had a purpose-built driver training facility at Perth Airport, the only one of its kind in the state. It was located towards the east of the current T1 International Terminal on Grogan Road.


Airlines and destinations

Perth Airport is served by 30 scheduled airlines flying to over 50 destinations in Australia, Oceania, Asia, Africa and Europe. A total of 1258 scheduled domestic and regional flights arrive and depart from Perth Airport each week. A total of 213 scheduled international flights arrive and depart from Perth Airport each week.


Passenger

Qantas operates dedicated 'flightseeing' services over Antarctica from Perth. These flights, using a
Boeing 787 Dreamliner The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, wh ...
, depart Perth from Terminals 3 and 4, and provide a guided aerial tour of Antarctica before returning to Australia. These flights are about thirteen hours in total.


Cargo


Operations and statistics


Total

Total passengers using the airport has increased on average by 2.5% annually since 1998 to 2022, with 78% of passenger traffic at the airport attributed to domestic travel in 2022.


Domestic


International


Ground transport


Road

Road access from the city to terminals T1 and T2 is via
Tonkin Highway Tonkin Highway is an north–south highway and partial freeway in Perth, Western Australia, linking Perth Airport and Kewdale, Western Australia, Kewdale with the city's north-eastern and south-eastern suburbs. As of April 2020, the northern ...
and Airport Drive, and to terminals T3 and T4 via Tonkin Highway, Dunreath Drive and Brearley Avenue, or via
Great Eastern Highway Great Eastern Highway is a road that links the Western Australian capital of Perth with the city of Kalgoorlie. A key route for road vehicles accessing the eastern Wheatbelt (Western Australia), Wheatbelt and the Goldfields-Esperance, Goldfie ...
and Fauntleroy Avenue.
Transperth Transperth is the public transport system for Perth and surrounding areas in Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation, and consists of train, bus and ferry services. Bus operat ...
operates route 292, a circular route connecting terminals T3 and T4 to
Redcliffe railway station Redcliffe railway station is a station for underground commuter rail services in Redcliffe, east of Perth, Western Australia. The station is one of three stations that were built as part of the Forrestfield–Airport Link project and is serv ...
.Route 292 timetable
Transperth
Transperth also operates route 37 from terminals T1 and T2 to
Curtin University bus station Curtin University bus station is a Transperth bus station located at Curtin University's Bentley campus. It has eight stands and is served by 11 Transperth routes operated by Path Transit, Swan Transit and Transdev WA Transdev WA is an ...
. A transfer bus is operated by Carbridge between the T1/T2 and T3/T4 terminal precincts.
Horizons West ''Horizons West'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Robert Ryan, Julia Adams and Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. On ...
operate services between the terminals and surrounding carparks. A number of
car rental A car rental, hire car or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time to the public, generally ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. It is often organized with numerous local branches (which allow a user t ...
companies have set up operations at the airport, and all terminals feature pick-up and drop-off areas dedicated to taxis and rideshare services.


Rail

Situated about from terminals T1 and T2, Airport Central station is on the Airport line that runs through to the
Perth central business district Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
. The station and line opened on 9 October 2022. It is connected to terminals 1 and 2 via an enclosed pedestrian bridge. The closest station to terminals T3 and T4 is Redcliffe, also on the Airport line, at a distance of about . Passengers for Terminals 3 and 4 can catch bus route 292, a circular service from Terminals 3 and 4 to Redcliffe station.


Accidents and incidents


During construction

* On 13 April 1987, a Hiller 12E helicopter was being used for the installation of a rotating beacon atop the control tower, then under construction. The beacon was attached to the helicopter for lifting by a chain sling. After the beacon had been lifted into place, workers disconnected the chain sling from it. As the helicopter was departing,
The hook on the sling became snagged on the tower guard rail ... causing it to pitch nose down and roll to the right. With the cable being tensioned by the pull of the helicopter the hook freed itself nd sprangwhile crashing the strike side of the tower towards the helicopter. The cable flew up around the tail boom and became entangled in one of the main rotor blades. The other main rotor blade severed the tail boom which fell free of the helicopter striking the side of the tower on its way to the ground. The major section of the helicopter then fell to the ground at the base of the tower, caught fire and was burnt out.Hiller UH12E, Perth WA, 13 April 1987: Investigation Number:198700097
at Aviation safety investigations & reports, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 5 November 1987
The accident resulted in the death of the helicopter pilot. The subsequent investigation conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Board, found that the pilot's licence was not endorsed for sling loading operations and he was not sufficiently current on the aircraft type to undertake such a job.


Accidents en route

* On 2 July 1949 a
Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...
, named ''Fitzroy'', departed from Perth Airport for Carnarvon. Moments after takeoff it crashed about a mile north of the airport, killing all 18 people on board. * On 26 June 1950 a
Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is an American four-engined (piston), propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Military versions of the plane, the C-54 and R5D, served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960 ...
Skymaster, named ''Amana'', departed from Perth Airport for
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
. It crashed 22 minutes later, near
York, Western Australia York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated on the Avon River, east of Perth in the Wheatbelt, on Ballardong Nyoongar land,King, A and Parker, E: York, Western Australia's first inland town, Parker Print, 2003 p.3. and is ...
, killing 28 of the 29 occupants. The sole survivor died in a Perth hospital six days later. This accident and the TAA Fokker Friendship disaster remain Australia's worst civil aviation accidents.


Emergency alternative airports

There are three emergency alternative airports for Perth, used usually in the case of fog or bad weather affecting Perth. In 2013, the state government flagged the need for a new emergency alternative airport, with Exmouth's
Learmonth Airport Learmonth Airport is an airport, co-located on the site of RAAF Base Learmonth, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base. The airport is located near the town of Exmouth on the north-west coast of Western Australia. Established in the 1940s ...
and
Adelaide Airport Adelaide Airport, also known as Adelaide International Airport, is an International airport, international, Domestic airport, domestic and general aviation airport serving Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Located approximately 6 km ...
being inconvenient due to their significant distance from Perth. In 2017, plans for Cunderdin Airport to become a diversion airport for Perth were put in place. In 2018, it was proposed that
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport Kalgoorlie-Boulder (or just Kalgoorlie) is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder as the surrounding ...
would be a better alternative than Cunderdin. In 2019, Busselton Margaret River Airport had its bid to become a designated alternate international airport approved.


Other incidents

In April 2020, Perth Airport staff parked heavy vehicles and heavy equipment in front of some
Virgin Australia Virgin Australia, formerly known as Virgin Blue, is an Australian airline based in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of two active airlines (the other being Virgin Atlantic) to use the Virgin Group, Virgin brand, as well as the larger by fleet ...
aircraft to prevent them from moving due to alleged unpaid debts by the airline. In May 2024, a refuelling malfunction at the airport resulted in at least 70 international and domestic flights to be cancelled, delayed or diverted to regional airports. On 15 September 2024, Runway 03 suffered pavement failure after a Qantas
Airbus A330 The Airbus A330 is a wide-body airliner developed and produced by Airbus. Airbus began developing larger A300 derivatives in the mid–1970s, giving rise to the A330 twinjet as well as the Airbus A340 quadjet, and launched both designs along ...
took off from it. No one was injured however the runway suffered severe damage and forced the diversion of a
Boeing 747-8F The Boeing 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the Boeing 747 family from Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the largest model variant of the 747 and Boeing's largest aircraft overall. Following the intro ...
due to insufficient runway length.


Future development


Consolidation of terminals

The 2004 Perth Airport Master Plan aimed for the domestic and international terminals to be consolidated into a single terminal on the south-eastern side of the airfield by 2024. The updated 2020 Perth Airport Master Plan included a major expansion and upgrade of Terminal 1 and the construction of a new terminal adjacent to house Qantas' operations as part of the consolidation plans, with an intended completion date set for 2025. However, the consolidation process faced protracted delays due to Qantas initially preferring to continue operating out of Terminals 3 and 4, a stance that drew criticism from both Perth Airport and the Western Australian state government. Qantas' transfer to Terminal 1 had been initially set to be completed by late 2025, but was pushed back due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
affecting air travel. Qantas had also cited a desire to upgrade and build out their current Perth hub in order to launch new international services before committing to a move to new facilities “over the long term”. In May 2024, it was confirmed that Qantas and Perth Airport had come to an agreement for Qantas and Jetstar to move to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct by 2031.


Third runway

The construction of a new runway (03R/21L) is planned. The new runway will be long and wide, while running parallel to the existing main runway and located between Terminal 1 and
Abernethy Road Abernethy Road is a long minor arterial road linking Belmont, Western Australia, Belmont with the Great Eastern Highway Bypass in Hazelmere, Western Australia, Hazelmere, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. It runs along the eastern boundar ...
. Construction of the runway is due to start in early 2025, with an intended opening in 2028.


Other

Perth Airport have confirmed plans to construct a 250-room hotel and two multi-storey carparks next to Airport Central Station, in alignment with its terminal consolidation plans. The first of the new six-level carparks began construction in mid-2024 with an intended completion date of 2026. The existing road network in front of T1 and T2 will also be reconfigured, and will see new dedicated pick-up and drop-off points for passengers. In October 2024 the airport announced it has partnered with
Accor Accor S.A. is a French multinational hospitality company that owns, manages and franchises hotels, resorts and vacation properties. It is the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest hospitality company worldwide. Accor ope ...
to run the hotel under the Pullman brand. The Pullman Perth Airport hotel is scheduled to be opened in 2027.


Notes


References


Further reading

*


External links

*
Airservices Aerodromes & Procedure Charts
{{Authority control Airports established in 1938 Airports in Western Australia Buildings and structures in Perth, Western Australia International airports in Australia Transport in Perth, Western Australia World War II airfields in Australia 1938 establishments in Australia