Perth Airport CEO dismisses criticism airport was unprepared for FIFO boom

Australia's Perth Airport CEO Brad Geatches, speaking at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit, dismissed (06-Aug-2014) criticism the airport was unprepared for Australia's FIFO boom. Mr Geatches said the resources sector is volatile and unpredictable and the airport will maintain a number of options to manage future expansion. Mr Geatches pointed to a Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia report in 2008 that predicted 67,000 FIFO workers by 2017, a number reached less than 18 months later, stating: "The possibility that anyone could actually forecast their needs were was basically impossible."