8-Nov-2010 11:41 AM
Sydney to surpass 80-flights-an-hour cap within eight years
Australia's Sydney Airport is expected to breach the 80-flights-an-hour cap within eight years (SMH, 08-Nov-2010). It expects to handle an additional 200,000 flights p/a by 2029. A record number of international and domestic aircraft used the airport last financial year, with a forecast yearly growth of 2.3%. A joint study on future aviation capacity for the Sydney region is underway and will report mid-2011. The terms of reference were released recently for a strategic study on options for a high-speed rail network on the east coast. Phase one will report mid-2011, with a second phase report due in 2012.