Airport News
South Australia’s Port Lincoln Airport will begin scheduled flights from its new terminal next week (6 August). Lower Eyre Peninsula District Council has confirmed QantasLink airline will be the first passenger flight to depart at 6:40am.
Lower Eyre Peninsula District Council mayor Julie Low said the opening of the new AU$13.2m (£7.8m) terminal and airport upgrade was a milestone for the council and the Eyre Peninsula community.
As reported by Port Lincoln Times, Low said, “It's a culmination of lots of hard work; hours and hours of work by our staff. They've worked for a long long time putting this together. It's a beautiful, bright, airy building, there's lots of space, you'll be able to have a cup of coffee, you'll be able to sit in some comfort, what more could you want.”
Low said increasing passenger numbers and the increased screening requirements required for QantasLink flights, triggered the need for a new terminal. According to Port Lincoln Times, construction ran about six weeks behind schedule, but Low confirmed the project was expected to run to budget.
Outgoing airport manager Peter Aird said grant funding from the federal and state government helped the council deliver the new terminal without any great increase in costs for passengers. As reported by Port Lincoln Times, he said the passenger levy had gone up by AU$1.20 (71p) six months ago but that was the only increase required to fund the project.
For passengers flying out from the terminal next week the process will be much the same as the old terminal, with the same check-in cut off times. The new terminal includes four check-in desks with weigh scales and conveyors. The main car park caters for 200 cars with space to develop more parking if needed and the terminal is also designed to be expanded in the future.
According to Port Lincoln Times, an official opening of the new terminal will be held next month.
Port Lincoln Airport provides multiple daily passenger services to and from Adelaide via its two airlines, Regional Express and QantasLink. It is the busiest regional airport in South Australia, with over 14,500 aircraft movements and 190,000 passengers annually and up to 24 scheduled daily passenger flights.
