Monocolumn. It’s been one long 70-year wait but it looks like Sydney-siders can celebrate – the city is finally getting a second airport. The federal government has approved a AU$2.4bn (€1.6bn) plan for the new site that will be built west of the city at an area called Badgerys Creek. The plan is to let the airport operate 24-hours-a-day – solving what airlines say is a critical problem with the capacity at Sydney’s current hub, Kingsford Smith airport.
Airlines, businesses and government leaders are all applauding the move. “Sydney is the key gateway for air traffic in and out of Australia and the benefits of having two major airports will be felt nationwide,” says Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas. Supporters want to see the airport operating throughout the night. The current airport in Mascot has a restriction of 80 aircraft movements each hour – that includes both regional and international flights. There’s also a night-time curfew that severely limits capacity. Phil Han is a producer for Monocle 24. Magazine. Intelligent Life. New Statesman. Prospect Magazine.