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Cairns Airport

Coordinates: 16°53′09″S 145°45′19″E / 16.88583°S 145.75528°E / -16.88583; 145.75528
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Cairns Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorNorth Queensland Airports Group
ServesCairns
LocationAeroglen, Queensland, Australia
Hub for
Elevation AMSL10 ft / 3 m
Coordinates16°53′09″S 145°45′19″E / 16.88583°S 145.75528°E / -16.88583; 145.75528
Websitecairnsairport.com.au
Maps
Map
YBCS is located in Queensland
YBCS
YBCS
Location in Queensland
YBCS is located in Australia
YBCS
YBCS
Location in Australia
YBCS is located in Oceania
YBCS
YBCS
Location in Oceania
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 3,156 10,354 Asphalt
Statistics (2016/17)
Passenger movementsIncrease 5,075,887
Aircraft movementsIncrease 56,526
Source: AIP[1] Enroute Supplement[2]
passenger and aircraft movements from the Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics[3]

Cairns Airport (IATA: CNS, ICAO: YBCS) is an international airport in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Formerly operated by the Cairns Port Authority, the airport was sold by the Queensland Government in December 2008 to a private consortium. It is the seventh busiest airport in Australia. The airport is located 2.3 nautical miles (4.3 km; 2.6 mi) north northwest[2] of Cairns or 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the Cairns central business district, in the suburb of Aeroglen. The airport lies between Mount Whitfield to the west and Trinity Bay to the east.

The airport has direct flights to 10 international and 35 domestic destinations and many general aviation flights including a number of helicopter operators. Flights are operated to all major Australian cities and tourist destinations, regional communities in Far North Queensland, and a number of international destinations in the Asia-Pacific region with connections to the rest of the world. The airport formed the main base for Australian Airlines prior to its ceasing of operations in June 2006 (the airport remains a major port for parent company Qantas). It is also a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the search and rescue helicopters of the Queensland Government.[4] In the 12 months ending 30 June 2019, Cairns Airport had just over 5 million passengers.[citation needed]

History

[edit]
Apron view of the international terminal in 2024

Cairns Airport goes back to 1928 when Tom McDonald started flying his de Havilland Gipsy Moth off a sand ridge near the present airport. He could only land and take off between high tides. During one emergency, McDonald was forced to take off from beer barrels.[citation needed]

During World War II, the Australian Government bought the airport for use by the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1943, the main runway was hard surfaced and lengthened to handle military aircraft. It was also used by the United States Army Air Forces as a transport base, with the 33d Troop Carrier Squadron (374th Troop Carrier Group) operating from the base during 1942. In 1949, the main runway was lengthened to 1,730 m (5,680 ft) to accommodate larger aircraft. During the mid-1960s, the airport was upgraded and the runway further lengthened to 2,020 m (6,630 ft) and strengthened so jets could land.

During the 1970s, Australia's two domestic airlines Trans Australia Airlines and Ansett provided regular scheduled services to most Australian capital cities and also Papua New Guinea, while in 1975 Air Niugini became the first international airline to commence flights out of Cairns, to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. In 1982, redevelopment of the airport commenced. This involved further lengthening of the runway to 2,600 m (8,500 ft) (making it the longest runway in Queensland) and construction of a new terminal building. The first stage of the redevelopment was finished in 1984 and a dual International and Domestic Terminal was opened. At the end of the decade the second stage of redevelopment was completed. This included a new separate International Terminal, associated aprons and taxiways, costing an estimated $80 million. The main runway was again extended, to 3,196 m (10,486 ft). In 1997, the third stage of redevelopment was completed, during which a three-storey Airport Administration Centre was constructed providing 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft) of office space.[5]

A$200 million redevelopment of the Domestic Terminal started in August 2007 and was completed in 2010.[6] Check-in facilities were expanded into a common-user facility for all airlines, and the building enlarged. Five new jet bridges replaced the existing three old bridges. In January 2010, Auckland International Airport Limited announced that it had purchased 24.6 per cent of North Queensland Airports (NQA), operator of the airports at Cairns and Mackay, for about $132 million.[7]

A further upgrade of the Domestic Terminal was begun in 2019 and completed in August 2020, at a total cost of $55 million.[8][9][10] The purpose of the upgrade was to prepare the terminal to handle the domestic portion of the airport's projected 6 million passengers annually from 2027.[8] The floor area of the departure hall was increased to 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft), and an additional 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft) of dining and retail facilities were added.[8] The upgrade also included expanded seating areas, a new interactive children's play screen, an upgraded Parenting Room, and a new Quiet Room.[9]

Prior to February 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, Cairns Airport's chief aviation officer Luis Perez told the Cairns Post that he was in talks with 22 airlines to connect Cairns to destinations such as North America, Korea, Taipei, Malaysia, the Middle East, India, Vietnam and the Philippines.[11]

Virgin Australia announced in December of that same year that they would be commencing a daily direct service to Tokyo-Haneda to be launched on 28 June 2023 with the newly arrived Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet.[12][13]

In early 2023, it was announced that the International Terminal (Terminal 1) would undergo its first major upgrade in April 2023 to a value of AUD$40–50 million.[14] The announced upgrades would be rolled out in stages to 'minimise passenger disruptions', the first of which would feature the installation of four new glass air-bridges and the re-cladding of the exterior of the building.

In December of 2023 the airport, like all of greater Cairns, was greatly affected by the severe weather during and in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Jasper forcing it to close for several days.[15][16] In March 2024 it was announced that both Cairns and Mackay Airports would run on 100% renewable energy sources from 2025.[17][16]

Facilities

[edit]

Terminals

[edit]
International Terminal check-in prior to 2024 upgrade

The airport has two passenger terminals on the eastern side of the airport on reclaimed mangrove swamp. They are approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) north of the Cairns Central Shopping Centre and situated on Airport Avenue off Sheridan Street (Captain Cook Highway). The terminals are in separate buildings 200 m (660 ft) from one another. The Domestic Terminal is number 2, and has five jet bridges and 17 gates. The International Terminal is number 1, and has six jet bridges and ten gates in total.[18]

Runways

[edit]

The airport has a single runway (15/33) which is 3,156 m (10,354 ft) long. The flight path to the north of the main runway is located directly overhead Cairns' northern beach suburbs. The flight path to the south is located directly over central Cairns. A smaller (925 m (3,035 ft)) runway 12/30 that was used for general aviation lies to the east; its final approach crossed the main runway. As of April 2011 this runway was closed and had been converted to a helipad area.

Airlines and destinations

[edit]

Passenger

[edit]
Domestic Terminal, 2022
AirlinesDestinations
Air New ZealandSeasonal: Auckland[19][20]
Air Niugini Moro, Port Moresby
Airnorth Darwin, Gove
Alliance Airlines Groote Eylandt, Weipa[21]
Charter: Century Mine,[citation needed] Cloncurry,[citation needed] Trepell[citation needed]
Asia Pacific Airlines Charter: Tabubil[citation needed]
Cathay Pacific Seasonal: Hong Kong (resumes 17 December 2024)[22]
China Eastern Airlines Seasonal: Shanghai–Pudong[23]
Fiji Airways Nadi (begins 10 April 2025)[24]
Hinterland Aviation Coen, Cooktown, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw
Indonesia AirAsiaDenpasar[25]
Jetstar Adelaide, Brisbane, Christchurch (begins 1 April 2025),[26] Denpasar,[27] Gold Coast, Melbourne, Osaka–Kansai, Perth, Sunshine Coast (begins 3 December 2024),[28] Sydney, Tokyo–Narita
Seasonal: Newcastle[29]
PNG Air Charter: Lihir Island,[citation needed] Port Moresby[30]
Qantas Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
QantasLink Adelaide, Ayers Rock, Brisbane, Darwin,[31] Horn Island, Mackay, Moranbah, Rockhampton, Townsville, Weipa
Seasonal: Canberra[citation needed]
Rex Airlines Burketown, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Mount Isa, Normanton, Townsville
Singapore Airlines Singapore[32]
Skytrans Aurukun, Bamaga, Horn Island, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw, Proserpine
Virgin Australia Adelaide,[33] Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Tokyo–Haneda (ends 24 February 2025)[34]

Cargo

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
Qantas Freight[35] Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Toll Aviation[citation needed] Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney, Townsville
Virgin Australia Cargo[36] Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Other tenants

[edit]

There are operators of emergency medical retrieval and rescue services based at the airport, including Emergency Management Queensland and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Annual passenger traffic at CNS airport. See Wikidata query.

Statistics

[edit]
Annual passenger statistics for Cairns Airport[37]
Year Domestic International Total Change
1998 1,915,717 688,058 2,603,775 Decrease -2.2%
1999 2,022,908 660,659 2,683,567 Increase 3.1%
2000 2,132,713 680,133 2,812,846 Increase 4.8%
2001 2,025,193 665,118 2,690,311 Decrease -4.4%
2002 2,087,643 766,256 2,853,899 Increase 6.1%
2003 2,246,566 746,561 2,993,127 Increase 4.9%
2004 2,582,591 846,846 3,429,437 Increase 14.6%
2005 2,842,947 862,184 3,705,131 Increase 8.0%
2006 2,967,077 791,709 3,758,786 Increase 1.4%
2007 3,066,414 702,048 3,768,462 Increase 0.3%
2008 3,153,171 595,461 3,748,632 Decrease -0.5%
2009 3,133,393 404,803 3,538,196 Decrease -5.6%
2010 3,254,097 495,873 3,749,970 Increase 6.0%
2011 3,361,097 504,072 3,865,169 Increase 3.1%
2012 3,569,195 511,359 4,080,554 Increase 5.6%
2013 3,754,331 492,091 4,246,422 Increase 4.1%
2014 3,857,399 460,910 4,318,309 Increase 1.7%
2015 3,975,309 545,733 4,521,042 Increase 4.7%
2016 4,208,221 642,293 4,850,514 Increase 7.3%
2017 4,278,311 662,173 4,940,484 Increase 1.9%
2018 4,283,247 662,551 4,945,798 Increase 0.1%
2019 4,126,357 651,824 4,778,181 Decrease -3.4%
2020 1,587,304 119,221 1,706,525 Decrease -64.3%
2021 2,312,189 2,490 2,314,679 Increase 35.6%
2022 3,672,627 135,262 3,807,889 Increase 64.5%
2023 3,842,622 322,541 4,292,670 Increase 11%
2024 3,990,199 610,638 4,733,965 Increase 9%
Domestic aviation activity into and out of Cairns Airport 2022[38]
Rank Airport Number of passengers % change
1 Brisbane 1,136,610 Increase 12.3%
2 Sydney 844,909 Increase 238.3%
3 Melbourne 814,524 Increase 160.5%
Busiest international routes – Cairns Airport (year ending 30 June 2024) [39]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % change
1 Tokyo 255,481 Increase 135.5%
2 Osaka 147,297 Increase 113.1%
3 Singapore 78,719 Increase 48.7%
4 Denpasar 54,890 Increase 70.9%
5 Port Moresby 37,360 Increase 31.2%
6 Auckland 23,929 Increase 1.9%
Busiest International freight routes of Cairns Airport (*route suspended) (2019)[40][41]
Rank Airport Freight handled (tonnes) % change
1  Hong Kong, Hong Kong 1678.9 Decrease 49
2  Japan, Tokyo-Narita 1156.2 Decrease 54
3  Japan, Osaka-Kansai 309.9 Decrease 60
4  Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby 252.4 Decrease 15
5*  China, Shenzhen 145.5 Increase 60
6*  China, Guangzhou 108.3 Increase 60
7  New Zealand, Auckland 68.2 Decrease 20
8  Singapore, Singapore-Changi 33.5 Increase 100

Ground transport

[edit]
Taxi

Ranks are located near both the International and Domestic Terminals. Cairns Taxis taxi ranks are located immediately outside the International and Domestic Terminals.

Bus

Airport shuttle bus services to hotels, city centre, Northern Beaches, Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation are available.

Parking

Short-term and long-term parking, including a covered car park and parking for people with a disability are located within the public carparks adjacent to both the Domestic and International Terminals.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ "Aerodrome Chart – Page 1: Cairns, QLD (YBCS)" (PDF). Aeronautical Information Publication. Airservices Australia. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b YBCS – CAIRNS/Cairns INTL (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024
  3. ^ Airport traffic data Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "RFDS QLD Home Page". Royal Flying Doctor Service. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  5. ^ "History". Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Redeveloping 5th Busiest Airport" (PDF). Australian National Construction Review. 9 December 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  7. ^ Howard, Rebecca (11 January 2010). "Auckland Airport buys stake in North Queensland Airports". The Australian. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  8. ^ a b c "Contract awarded for Cairns terminal upgrade". Infrastructure Magazine. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b Lane, Mark (3 August 2020). "A taste of Tropical North Queensland: Cairns Airport completes A$55 million domestic terminal upgrade". The Moodie Davitt Report. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  10. ^ Jagt, Kerry van der (22 July 2022). "Airport review: Tropical Queensland's main hub's $55 million upgrade". Traveller.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  11. ^ Calcino, Chris (1 February 2020). "Future Tourism: Cairns Airport needs to decide where to next". The Cairns Post. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  12. ^ "Hello Tokyo! Virgin Australia Launches First-Ever Cairns-Haneda Japan Service With Massive $699 Return Sale". Virgin Australia Newsroom. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Why Virgin chose Cairns over Brisbane for new Japan flights". Australian Financial Review. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Subscribe to the Cairns Post". Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  15. ^ Atfield, Cameron (17 December 2023). "Widespread flooding, airport closed as Jasper batters Queensland's far north". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Cairns Airport to use 100% renewable power from next year". Australian Aviation. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  17. ^ Skatssoon, Judy (4 March 2024). "Queensland's CleanCo to provide clean energy for airports consortium". Government News. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  18. ^ Cairns Airport terminal information Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 25 May 2011
  19. ^ "Air New Zealand Converts Auckland – Cairns to Seasonal Service in 2014". Airline Route. 24 April 2014. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Queensland gets year-round flights with Air New Zealand to Gold Coast, Cairns, Sunshine Coast". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Alliance launches four new roures". Australian Aviation. 23 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Cathay Pacific Resumes Cairns Service From Dec 2024". AeroRoutes. 27 June 2024.
  23. ^ "China eastern airlines introduces special New Year flights connecting Shanghai and Cairns in 2024". Travel and Tour World. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Fiji Airways adds non-stop flights from Cairns to Nadi". executivetraveller. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Indonesia Airasia Plans Cairns / Brunei August 2024 Launch". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Jetstar announces major expansion in New Zealand as it celebrates its 15th birthday". newsroom.jetstar.com.
  27. ^ "Cheap Flight Specials and Airfare Deals in Australia and Abroad – Jetstar Airlines Australia". Jetstar. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  28. ^ "Jetstar Launches Cairns-Sunshine Coast Route". Mirage News. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  29. ^ "Jetstar Airways to launch Newcastle-Cairns service | Corporate Travel Community".
  30. ^ "PNG AIR route map". Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  31. ^ "Qantas Adds New Routes From Darwin to Far North Queensland". quantasnewsroom.com.au. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  32. ^ Chris Ashton (23 February 2022). "Singapore Airlines restarts Cairns flights". Executive Traveller. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  33. ^ "Virgin expands with new routes". ABC news. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Virgin to drop Cairns-Tokyo flights from next year". Australian Aviation. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  35. ^ freight.qantas.com - Freighter schedule retrieved 17 December 2022
  36. ^ virginaustralia.com - Our cargo services retrieved 17 December 2022
  37. ^ "Airport Traffic Data 1985 to 2022". Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economicsaccess-date=26 October 2023.
  38. ^ "Australian Domestic Domestic aviation activity 2022". Bitre.gov.au. 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  39. ^ "International Airline Activity—Time Series". bitre.gov.au. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  40. ^ Fiscal year 1 July – 30 June
  41. ^ "International Airline Activity Annual Publications" (PDF). Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
[edit]

Media related to Cairns Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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