Is Darwin International Airport an accurate description?

[Captain Halliday]

Is it correct that Qantas lounge at Changi is about the same size as Darwin's domestic departure area ?

I'm doing DRW-SIN rtn in mid September, I'll be sure to pack my tape measure.

 

[Groundfeeder]

Are they still calling Brownsville (oh, all right - Townsville ..) an International Airport?

 

[markis10]

Are they still calling Brownsville (oh, all right - Townsville ..) an International Airport?

One would hope so given they have regular int ops.

 

[harvyk]

Does it have the ability to process international flights? Yes - Then they can use the title of Darwin INTERNATIONAL airport. Having the word international just means they can process flights from OS, not that it will be of a certain size or standard.

Even CBR fits the bill of an international airport. It has the facilities to process flights from OS, despite there been no regular scheduled international flights. There have certainly been scheduled international flights in the past, and they certainly take international charter flights.

Now as for quality of the various smaller international airports dotted around AU, that is another discussion entirely.

 

[Warks]

One would hope so given they have regular int ops.

I thought the airline flying to Bali folded or stopped flying out of TSV? Alliance or something?

Townsville is not bad, no flipping Virgin lounge though. QP is also tiny. Still security is quick. Beats Darwin. Cairns sucks too - worst design for a new airport I've seen.

Never flown INT from Darwin - what routes? Dili would be the biggest?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Never flown INT from Darwin - what routes? Dili would be the biggest?

Airnorth does Dili daily - true. But for PAX volumes it would be SIN as both JQ (daily) and Air Asia (4 days) fly that route. MH also does DRW-KL (unsure frequency)and JQ does a daily DRW-DPS.

There are also ad-hoc government funded flights to other international destinations like PNG if you know what I mean. No status there I'm afraid.

 

[seanpodge]

It's called an international airport because it has international flights at it. Doesn't mean it is, or ever will be, glamour central.

 

[Himeno]

It's called an international airport because it has international flights at it.

CBR and HBA are also called international airports. They don't currently have international flights.

 

[dajop]

Airnorth does Dili daily - true. But for PAX volumes it would be SIN as both JQ (daily) and Air Asia (4 days) fly that route. MH also does DRW-KL (unsure frequency)and JQ does a daily DRW-DPS..

Also MNL with 3x (or 4?) weekly PR service . SIN has 5x weekly Silkair service in addition to Jetstar, it's DPS that has 4xweekly Air Asia service (also in addition to JQ), so SIN & DPS would be line ball in terms of passenger numbers given that Air Asia operate higher density A320's than Silkair.

 

[harvyk]

CBR and HBA are also called international airports. They don't currently have international flights.

Can't talk about HBA (although I thought they had Antarctic flights), but CBR get's the term because it has the ability to process international flights. In fact there is even signage down the VA end pointing to international departures.

 

[Warks]

Didn't HBA have flights to NZ at one stage?

 

[breakNegg]

I flew into Darwin airport in 82 and instantly melted on the tarmac. I flew out of Richmond NSW at 0 degrees and in my Army Battle Dress (we were not allowed to take any part of uniform off)
The things I did for my queen and country LOL

 

[dajop]

Didn't HBA have flights to NZ at one stage?

My 1993 QF timetable shows NZ 217/8 (with QF codes QF 368/5) operating a service on Saturdays from CHC-HBA and back! Flying time 2:45 eastbound, 3:20 westbound.

 

[Himeno]

Can't talk about HBA (although I thought they had Antarctic flights), but CBR get's the term because it has the ability to process international flights. In fact there is even signage down the VA end pointing to international departures.

CBR used to have 3? weekly flights from Fiji. They pulled mobile processing equipment out of storage and bussed in customs and immigration staff from their HQ building down the road when the flight was due in. Those flights lasted about 4 months.

The new terminal has plans for an international area using "swing" gates. The planned international arrivals/departure section exists (upstairs between the QF and VA lounges I believe), but is not fitted out until an airline confirms they'll start international service to CBR.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Also MNL with 3x (or 4?) weekly PR service . SIN has 5x weekly Silkair service in addition to Jetstar, it's DPS that has 4xweekly Air Asia service (also in addition to JQ), so SIN & DPS would be line ball in terms of passenger numbers given that Air Asia operate higher density A320's than Silkair.

Quite right. It is DPS for Air Asia. I stand corrected.

 

[harvyk]

CBR used to have 3? weekly flights from Fiji. They pulled mobile processing equipment out of storage and bussed in customs and immigration staff from their HQ building down the road when the flight was due in. Those flights lasted about 4 months.

The new terminal has plans for an international area using "swing" gates. The planned international arrivals/departure section exists (upstairs between the QF and VA lounges I believe), but is not fitted out until an airline confirms they'll start international service to CBR.

Yeap, for 3 months in 2004 from memory there where direct CBR-NAN flights. From memory at the time it was pre-"DJ's the lounge" in the old terminal. I'm 90% sure that's where they did processing (since I do vaguely remember seeing customs warning signs on doors near the gate that used to be next to the lounge.

There was still an AQIS presence out at the airport in 2006, since I remember visiting the AQIS office out at CBR airport at the time (I used to do work for AQIS), so it wasn't quite a case of ship the officers from down the road.

From memory the AQIS office there mainly dealt with diplomatic arrivals. I haven't looked for the office of late, but I'm pretty sure it's still there.

 

[markis10]

For the record, an airport must be designated by law as an international airport and published in the AIP, the current list:


Adelaide
Brisbane
Cairns
Darwin
Melbourne
Perth
Sydney
Avalon
Broome
Canberra
Coffs Harbour
Gold Coast
Hobart
Learmonth
Lord Howe Island
Newcastle
Port Hedland
Townsville
Alice Springs
Kalgoorlie
Launceston
Rockhampton
Tindal
Horn Island
Norfolk Island
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Island

 

[dajop]

For the record, an airport must be designated by law as an international airport and published in the AIP, the current list:

Plus MCY? Which has AKL flights.

 

[markis10]

Plus MCY? Which has AKL flights.

It is not a designated international airport under Section 9 of the Air Navigation act.

 

[dajop]

It is not a designated international airport under Section 9 of the Air Navigation act.

Ok, I have no idea about the act. So non-designated international airports can still take international flights then. Although I can't think of any other such airports.