Adelaide Airport finally takes off
After over four months of delays, the first domestic flights have departed from Adelaide Airport’s new terminal .
Fuel supply problems which have plagued the airport have finally been fixed.
Airport and airline staff have worked throughout the night to prepare for the long-awaited start of domestic flights, starting at 6.00am today.
Virgin Blue spokesperson Amanda Bolger says passengers using the terminal today should be patient.
“My advice to passengers would be arrive a little bit early, give yourself plenty of time, there’ll be a lot of signage out around the roads so that people know where to go,” she said.
“But do give yourself a little bit of time, it’s the first day in a new facility so it would be sensible to give yourself a bit of extra time to make sure you get there.”
Adelaide Airport managing director Phil Baker said the opening would be “a great relief”. All flights were to have used the terminal from mid-October last year, but problems with the underground aircraft-fuelling system forced a four-month delay.
Mr Baker said compensation talks would continue. He expected most retail outlets in the terminal would start operating in the next few days.
Politicians predictably did not miss the opportunity, with Premier Mike Rann signalling plans to lobby Malaysian Airlines, Air New Zealand and Qantas to follow the lead of Singapore Airlines and operate daily international flights in and out of Adelaide. He believed there was also a “strong case” for Cathay Pacific to operate here.
Mr Rann said that if re-elected on March 18, the Government would also try to entice China Airlines, Emirates, China Southern, China Eastern, Air China, India’s Jet Airways, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar International and NZ’s Freedom Air to come to Adelaide.
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