Canberra Airport is an international airport situated in the district of Majura, Australian Capital Territory. It serves Australia's capital city, Canberra, as well as the nearby city of Queanbeyan and regional southeastern New South Wales. Located approximately from the city centre, within the North Canberra district, it is the ninth-busiest airport in Australia.
The airport offers direct flights to all Australian state capitals alongside many regional centres across the Australian East coast, as well as international services to Nadi, Doha and Denpasar. Other international flights have, at various times, operated from Canberra to Singapore and Wellington.
Canberra Airport handled 3.2 million passengers in the 2018–19 financial year.1 July to 30 June Major redevelopment work completed in 2013 included the demolition of the old terminal, replacing it with a new facility designed to handle up to eight million passengers annually.
In addition to serving airline traffic, the airport is also the only public general aviation facility within the Australian Capital Territory. As a former Royal Australian Air Force base, Defence Establishment Fairbairn is located within Canberra Airport and supports government VIP flying operations by 34 Squadron as well as ground handling for itinerant military aircraft and visiting heads of state.
Corporate management The airport's controlling entity is Capital Property Finance Pty Ltd, the airport is managed and operated by the Canberra Airport Group Pty Ltd. The current CEO of the airport and property group is Terry Snow's step-son, Stephen Byron.
History Early years
The airport was built up from an old airstrip that was first laid down in the 1920s, not long after the National Capital site was decided. In 1939 it was taken over by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with an area leased out for civil aviation.
On 13 August 1940, in what became known as the Canberra air disaster, a RAAF Lockheed Hudson flying from Melbourne crashed into a small hill to the east of the airport. Four crew and six passengers, including the Chief of the General staff and three Federal Government ministers, were killed in the accident. James Fairbairn, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, was one of those killed and Fairbairn Airbase, the eastern component of the airport, was subsequently named after him. In 1962 the military side of the airport was renamed RAAF Base Fairbairn. The north-east quadrant of the airport still retains the Fairbairn name.
The terminal facilities on the western side were upgraded in 1988. By 1994, Canberra Airport was the seventh busiest in Australia, handling 1.4 million passengers annually. Prior to privatisation, the Government of the Australian Capital Territory recommended further development of the airport as an international gateway, capable of limited widebody operations to destinations in South-East Asia and the Pacific region, but noted there was little appetite from Australian airlines to establish such services In May 1997, Canberra handled its first international flight when a charter for the ACT Brumbies to New Zealand was operated by a Qantas Boeing 737 with temporary immigration facilities set up.Canberra gets first international service Australian Aviation issue 130 July 1997 page 21
The Australian Government then leased the airport to Canberra International Airport Pty Ltd in May 1998 for 99 years, and the RAAF area was sub-leased back to the Department of Defence.New airport leases announced Australian Aviation issue 139 May 1998 page 20 It was decommissioned as a RAAF base in 2003, (although No. 34 Squadron RAAF remains based there), and the RAAF area was renamed Defence Establishment Fairbairn.
In July 2004, Air Pacific launched twice weekly services between Canberra and Nadi, the first direct scheduled International link;Bula! Canberra to Fiji non-stop The Hub issue 23 June 2004 however, these flights proved unsuccessful, prompting further investment in facilities to support international operations. In 2006 the main runway was upgraded to cater for heavier aircraft, allowing visiting dignitaries and heads of state to fly direct to the capital.
The airport's 2005 masterplan was criticised by the Federal government for not providing enough detail about planned expansion, while a further draft master plan was rejected by Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese in November 2008. The draft did not provide enough detail on a proposal to develop the airport into a freight hub, while that the airport's community consultation had also been insufficient. In the second half of 2008, Canberra International Airport Pty Ltd started referring to itself as "Canberra Airport".For example, the Issue 45 of "The Hub", dated July 2008, uses the "Canberra International Airport" logo, whereas Issue 46 , dated November 2008, uses a "Canberra Airport" logo.
Redevelopment and international flights In early December 2007, plans were announced to construct a new terminal, to be completed by September 2010. This new terminal would have increased the number of aerobridges from two to six, doubled the number of check in counters and car parking and provided additional baggage processing capacity and lounge space.The Hub Newsletter , Issue 43, January 2008.Information and updates about changes to the airport , canberraairport.com.au These plans were delayed due to the 2008 financial crisis.
With financial outlooks improving, in April 2009, the airport announced that $350 million would be spent towards a new terminal and key infrastructure projects, including:"Project key facts" , AirVolution project, Canberra Airport Website. Retrieved on 11 April 2009.Animated video , planned airport changes, Canberra Airport website. Retrieved on 11 April 2009. three new jet aircraft parking positions and a total of ten aerobridges"The Air Volution" , Information about Canberra's (planned) new air terminal, Canberra Airport website. Retrieved on 11 April 2009. an increase in check-in counters from 17 to 44 two multi-story car parks connected to the terminal a split-level roadside drop off and pick up system dedicated customs, immigration and quarantine facilities to support International flights an indoor taxi rank and waiting area – a first for an Australian airport The terminal's Southern concourse was completed in late 2010, while the Western concourse was partially open in March 2013 and complete by November of that year. Overall, floor space was increased by 65%, with significantly expanded baggage capacity and also expanded the airline lounges by four times compared to the previous building.
In November 2012, a national petition was started by 10-year-old Eve Cogan to name the new extensions after David Warren, inventor of the blackbox. The petition was supported by Sully Sullenberger.
In 2010, 8 Brindabella Circuit, a building located in the administration area of the Airport precinct, won the 5 Green Stars Australian Excellence Award.
In January 2016, Singapore Airlines announced it would launch flights from Singapore to Wellington via Canberra with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, dubbed the "Capital Express" service.Singapore Airlines to launch Singapore-Canberra-Wellington flights Australian Business Traveller 20 January 2016 The ACT Government and Canberra Airport had been attempting for years to attract foreign airlines, or persuade Qantas or Virgin Australia to commence international flights from Canberra, with a population catchment of 900,000. The airport is underserviced compared to Adelaide which has 42 weekly international services with a population catchment only 25% larger. Canberra's status as Australia's capital city and the above average income of residents in the surrounding area provide arguments in favour of more international services at the airport. Qatar Airways began daily flights between Canberra and Doha, via Sydney, in February 2018. The product offering was upgraded in November 2019, replacing the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft used on the route with new Airbus A350-1000s
On 24 January 2018, Singapore Airlines announced that it was ending its Canberra to Wellington service on 30 April 2018, altering its Canberra operations to a daily Singapore-Sydney-Canberra-Singapore service from 1 May 2018 using the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
COVID-19 pandemic Interstate travel restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted operations at Canberra Airport. By August 2020, the airport reported a 99% reduction in passengers and closed the terminal on Saturdays as a cost saving measure, while management criticised State governments for enforcing border closures with the ACT, despite there being no active community transmission of the virus in the Territory. In September, Singapore Airlines announced the permanent suspension of its Canberra operations. Easing of travel restrictions in late September saw resumption and increased frequency on some interstate routes, avoiding further reduction to five days per week operations. This increased demand was followed by the announcement of several new leisure focussed, regional routes.
Canberra Airport received three one-off repatriation flights to bring home Australians stranded overseas, including a Qantas flight from New Delhi, a Nepal Airlines flight piloted by film star Vijaya Lama and a Singapore Airlines flight with 150 passengers.
On 17 July 2020, Qantas carried passengers on a scenic flight aboard its final Boeing 747 from Canberra Airport over the capital and surrounding region. The special flight, touted as a public farewell for the 747 long-haul fleet, had originally been planned over Melbourne, but it was changed to Canberra due to Victorian lockdowns. The aircraft performed low fly-pasts of the airport and the city landmarks.
Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways cancelled their flights to Canberra in 2020 due to the pandemic. As of January 2023, Qatar had postponed the resumption of these flights on several occasions and there was no date for them to return. Singapore Airlines had also not announced a date by which it would resume servicing Canberra. The airport and ACT government have sought to attract flights to New Zealand without success.
Post pandemic recovery In April 2023, Fiji Airways announced it would resume flights between Canberra and Nadi beginning July 2023, marking the return to international flights to Canberra. This was followed up with flights to Bali with Batik Air, which launched in June 2024 but were suspended until further notice in October 2024. Fiji Airways will also terminate its flights to Canberra from 5 February 2027.
In May 2024, the airport unveiled their five-year Route Development Plan, outlining a desire to resume services to Doha, Singapore and New Zealand, as well as to serve new destinations in China and Vietnam. Qatar Airways announced it will recommence its daily flights to Doha via Melbourne in December 2026.
Facilities
The Canberra Spatial Plan released by the ACT Government in March 2004 identified the airport and surrounding areas as being an important centre for future industrial and related development.Canberra Spatial Plan , March 2004, ACT Government. The airport precinct is currently divided into four areas, catering to aviation and non-aviation activities:
The passenger terminal and general aviation facilities are in the south western quadrant formed by runways 17/35 and 12/30. This area also contains long and short term parking and a four-star hotel. The Brindabella Business Park is south of the passenger terminal.Brindabella Business Park , brindabellabusinesspark.com.au A heavy maintenance facility for QantasLink Boeing 717 aircraft is located adjacent to the business park.