Adelaide Airport is the principal airport in the South Australian capital of Adelaide and the fifth busiest airport in Australia, servicing close to 6.9 million passengers in 2008/09. Located adjacent to West Beach, it is approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the city-centre. It has been operated privately by Adelaide Airport Limited under a long-term lease from the Commonwealth Government since 1998.

Passengers boarding from the tarmac in 1967; this continued for domestic passengers until 2006. (Click on the photo to enlarge)

First established in 1955, a new dual international/domestic terminal was opened in 2005 which has received numerous awards, including being named the world's second-best international airport (5-15 million passengers) in 2006. It is the second hub for Tiger Airways.

History

The first Adelaide airport was an aerodrome constructed in 1921 on 24 hectares (59 acres) of land in Hendon. The small facility allowed for a mail service between Adelaide and Sydney. To meet the substantial growth in aviation, Parafield Airport was developed in 1927. By 1947, the demand on aviation had outgrown Parafield and the current site of Adelaide Airport was selected at West Torrens (now West Beach). Construction began and flights commenced in 1954.

Passengers boarding from the tarmac in 1967; this continued for domestic passengers until 2006. (Click on the photo to enlarge)

An annexe to one of the large hangars at the airport served as a passenger terminal until the Commonwealth Government provided funds for the construction of a temporary building.

International services became regular from 1982 upon the construction of an international terminal. A new dual-use $260 million facility replaced both the original 'temporary' domestic and international terminals in 2005.

In October 2006, the new terminal was named the Capital City Airport of the Year at the Australian Aviation Industry Awards in Cairns. In March 2007, Adelaide Airport was rated the world's second best airport in the 5-15 million passengers category at the Airports Council International (ACI) 2006 awards in Dubai.

Plans were announced for an expansion of the terminal in July 2007, including more aerobridges and demolition of the old International Terminal.

On 5 August 2008 Tiger Airways Australia confirmed that Adelaide Airport become the airline's second hub which would base two of Tiger Airways A319s by early 2009. On 29 October 2009 Tiger announced it would be housing its third A320 at Adelaide Airport from early 2010.

Terminal building

The airport was redeveloped in 2005 at a cost of $260 million. The redevelopment was managed by builders Hansen Yuncken. Before the redevelopment, the old airport terminal was criticised for its limited capacity and lack of aerobridges.

Adelaide Airport T1, Qantas Check in Desks (Click on the photo to enlarge)

Proposals were developed for an attempt for an upgraded terminal of world standard. The final proposal, released in 1997, called for a large, unified terminal in which both domestic and international flights would use the same terminal. A combination of factors, the most notable of which was the collapse of Ansett Australia, then a duopoly domestic carrier with Qantas, and the resultant loss of funds for its share of the construction cost, saw the new terminal plans shelved until an agreement was reached in 2002.

Main concourse terminal one, 2006 (Click on the photo to enlarge)

The new terminal was opened on 7 October 2005 by the Prime Minister John Howard and South Australian Premier Mike Rann. However, Adelaide Airport Limited announced soon afterward that only international flights would use the new facility immediately due to problems with the fuel pumps and underground pipes. These problems related initially to the anti-rusting agent applied to the insides of the fuel pumps, then to construction debris in the pipes. Although international and regional (from December 2005) aircraft were refuelled via tankers, a lack of space and safety concerns prevented this action for domestic jet aircraft, which instead continued operations at the old terminal. The re-fueling system was cleared of all debris and the new terminal was used for all flights from 17 February 2006.

Airport entrance (Click on the photo to enlarge)

The new airport terminal is approximately 850 metres (2,790 ft) end to end and is capable of handling 27 aircraft, including the Airbus A380, simultaneously and processing 3,000 passengers per hour. It includes high amenity public and airline lounges, 14 glass-sided aerobridges, 42 common user check-in desks and 34 shop fronts. Free wireless Internet is also provided throughout the terminal by Internode Systems, a first for an Australian airport.

Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight MH138 docked at Adelaide Airport awaiting departure. (Click on the photo to enlarge)

The tarmac of the current terminal (Click on the photo to enlarge)

The Qantas A380 made a historic landing at the airport on 27 September 2008, enthralling spectators who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the giant aircraft. This was a 25 minute pitstop, before it flew on to Melbourne. This was one of the several visits the airliner made as part of a pilot training and testing program.

Adelaide Airport Limited

1 James Schofield Drive,
Adelaide Airport,
South Australia 5950,
Australia

Telephone:
+61 8 8308 9211
Fax: +61 8 8308 9311
E-mail: airport at aal com au

Parafield Airport Limited

Building 18, Tigermoth Lane,
Parafield Airport,
PO Box 652, Salisbury,
South Australia 5108, Australia

Telephone:
+61 8 8307 5700
Facsimile +61 8 8281 5006
E-mail: airport at aal com au

URL: International Airport Adelaide

Images and information placed above are from
International Airport Adelaide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_International_Airport
We thank them for the data!

Runway 05/23

10171 x 148 feet
3100 x 45 meters

Runway 12/30

5420 x 148 feet
1652 x 45 meters

Navaids

Navaids

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