New Adelaide airport

[stuandmel]

I am flying there tomorrow so will ask around and report back.....

 

[stuandmel]

It seems a long way away with no one knowing anything. There were more spare seats on the plane than in the lounge. Maybe if you are there on the last day you'll score a complimentary umbrella!

 

[QF WP]

I just hope it's been fixed by either 24 Jan when I fly PER/ADL, or 25 Jan when I fly ADL/SYD.

I'm not holding my breath - but perhaps Australia Day might be an auspicious date/day to re-open it....

 

[Mal]

Well it should be sorted soon...

http://www.aal.com.au/common/uploaded_images/FuelSolution.pdf

"A solution to the fuel contamination issues which have delayed domestic flights transferring to
the new Adelaide Airport terminal has been agreed, paving the way for domestic airlines to
move their operations from the existing domestic terminal on December 21."

 

[QF WP]

Call me a cynic, but I'll believe it when I see it on TV... I can just see the problems they're going to either have with the "temporary" pipes or "re-commissioning the main fuel line".... :roll:

 

[JohnK]

Well it should be sorted soon...

They said the same about Vietnam and terrorism.

I will be in ADL in February, March and April. I am not holding my breath waiting for the new terminal/airport, although certain people would not mind me holding my breath that long.

 

[Yada Yada]

Here is an update. Good news for those flying to ADL in coming weeks.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2005

NEW TERMINAL FUEL SOLUTION AGREED

Terminal ready for domestic services from December 21

A solution to the fuel contamination issues which have delayed domestic flights transferring to the new Adelaide Airport terminal has been agreed, paving the way for domestic airlines to move their operations from the existing domestic terminal on December 21.

Temporary pipework by-passing a section of the new fuel system will allow domestic aircraft to be refuelled at the new terminal with back-up from fuel tankers as required at peak times, while allowing continued cleaning and testing of the permanent fuel delivery system.

The solution has the approval of Adelaide Airport Limited, its contractors and fuellers. AAL Managing Director, Mr Phil Baker said a range of options had been thoroughly explored by all parties over recent weeks with the shared goal of fully commissioning the new terminal. “Our inability to use the state of the art terminal has been frustrating for all of those immediately involved and for the wider community,” Mr Baker said.

Testing of the fuel system linking storage tanks and the main underground hydrant system in early October identified a source of contamination caused by an anti-corrosive substance sprayed on to protect the pumps during delivery. The pumps and adjacent pipework have been dismantled, cleaned, reinstalled and tested four times over the past six weeks.

“While we understand the frustration of that delay for the travelling public, no-one has been more frustrated by the process than our staff, our contractors and our customers including retailers and I would like to thank them particularly for their efforts and their patience,” Mr Baker said.

http://www.aal.com.au/common/uploaded_images/FuelSolution.pdf

 

[JohnK]

Here is an update. Good news for those flying to ADL in coming weeks.

Hallelujah.

We can stop worrying about a new pope elected before the new ADL terminal is open for business. :roll:

 

[BlacKnox]

Qantas passengers secretly slugged

By Steve Creedy and Verity Edwards
22-12-2005
From: The Australian
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17637210-421,00.html
 
QANTAS domestic passengers flying to and from Adelaide were secretly slugged $5.50 per flight for more than a month to cover the extra expense of the $260 million terminal they were not using.

Qantas confirmed yesterday that it added a new $5.50 passenger facility charge to domestic fares on November 1. It was paid to Adelaide airport and designed to cover the costs of the new terminal.

However, the airline did not take off the charge until December 9, when it became clear it would be unable to move its domestic flights to the troubled terminal because of problems with its fuel distribution system.

"For domestic services, Qantas put the increase in place as of November 1, when we expected domestic flights to commence," said the airline's head of corporate communications relations, Belinda de Rome.

"There have been a series of delays, however, so we reverted to the old terminal charge."

Qantas is now offering to refund the charge, likely to amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Virgin Blue spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said the smaller airline did not introduce the charge or increase base fares.

"We'll look at our options if and when we move into the facility. If we do go down that path it won't be tax, it will be a fare change and we will be fully transparent about what it is."

Adelaide airport managing director Phil Baker yesterday said there was "no point crying" about the sixth delay to opening the terminal since early October, when workers contaminated fuel pipes with anti-corrosive paint.

"I'm well aware that everybody's been working literally their cough off to get this up and running," Mr Baker said.

Yesterday he revealed that a temporary bypass replacing the contaminated pipes would not be ready until next year. The original pipes have been cleared -- but will take at least a week to commission.

While not accepting responsibility for the fuel lines, Mr Baker said he would take the heat for the terminal. "I'm responsible for running this airport so the buck stops with me."

The embattled airport has faced the mounting ire of the Government and the business community as the saga reaches farcical proportions.

Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said the matter needed resolution "before the airport becomes a total laughing stock for the rest of Australia".

"Here we are at the height of the Christmas season when people are tramping in and out of capital cities, and they'll come into a Third World airport and on the way out go past a state-of-the-art airport -- it ain't a good look for us at all," he said.

Qantas executive general manager, airports and catering, Grant Fenn said Qantas was disappointed it would not be able to use the new terminal over Christmas.

Exxon Mobil spokesman Alan Bailey said its sole interest was ensuring the fuel system was ready for use. "It's certainly taking a lot longer than we would have anticipated to clear the hydrant around the airport of water and other assorted debris that got in there during the course of construction," he said.

 

[Yada Yada]

"I'm well aware that everybody's been working literally their cough off to get this up and running," Mr Baker said.

The embattled airport has faced the mounting ire of the Government and the business community as the saga reaches farcical proportions.

Thanks for posting the article, BlacKnox. This fuel problem really has become a farce.

I love the quote by Mr Baker. There must be lots of cough-less people in Adelaide. :mrgreen:

Click here to see what's happening at the Adelaide airport. Not much.

 

[stuandmel]

So has anybody got their $5.50 back yet?

 

[stuandmel]

I just noticed on my Amex a credit from qantas for $12.10. I do not know what it was for, but I did fly to Adelaide in Decmeber. I think it may be a refund of some sort like $11 + GST fee for 2 pax.

 

[QF WP]

Click here to see what's happening at the Adelaide airport. Not much

Thanks for this link Yada Yada. Only a MAS and AirNZ jet at the far gates as I type this.

 

[DPG]

Just a quick update...

AAL have announced that the fuel problem a ADL is solved, and they are comunnicating witht the airlines for a transfer day in the next week...

http://www.aal.com.au/common/uploaded_images/FuelSystemReady.pdf

Does anyone know when QF will be moving in...?

If it is next Saturday (18 Feb) is anyone interested in meeting up in the QF Pub?

Let's find out when it is open, and see who is interested in meeting...

D P G

 

[Mal]

*If* the airport is open this week, then I might take a trip over on Sat for a look around and to spend some time in ADL. Hopefully the flies have disappeared now

Of course I'm not willing to book until later this week for obvious reasons. Still could be a good idea though!

 

[DPG]

I have looked at the flights from SYD/MEL/BNE to ADL and they all look pretty good for a morning flight there, and an evening flight on return...

Might hold some flights and see what gets announced during the week...

D P G

 

[serfty]

I note the gist from the Adelaide Airport Management seems to be they have advised the Airlines of the unexpectedly :shock: full availability of the new terminal and are awaiting the response specifically in relation to when the airline's may actually move in.

I'm there on the 21st, hopefully it the new facility.
:?

 

[JohnK]

So has anybody got their $5.50 back yet?

Wow! I have just noticed a credit on my Amex dated 24th February from QF for $12.10.

It must be a refund for flight MEL-ADL on 12th February and ADL-MEL on 16th February still using the old terminal.

 

[serfty]

So has anybody got their $5.50 back yet?

Wow! I have just noticed a credit on my Amex dated 24th February from QF for $12.10.

It must be a refund for flight MEL-ADL on 12th February and ADL-MEL on 16th February still using the old terminal.

So did I ... ($5.50 + GST x 2).

:shock: 8)