Airshow blasts off with international terminal plan

Andrew Mathieson
CUTTING airline charges from $10 to $1 a passenger for landing at Avalon’s proposed international terminal is the latest plan to attract budget operators to Geelong.
Avalon Airport owner Linfox revealed the plan as the facility threw its doors open to host this week’s Australian International Airshow. The airshow opens to the public today and finishes Sunday after a working week of trade days for the world’s aerospace and defence industries.
Airport general manager Justin Giddings said Avalon’s cheap operating costs gave the airport a distinct advantage over its city rivals.
“We run Avalon as a low-cost airport and we can afford to do these low costs – it’s not necessarily about under-cutting or even cost-cutting,” he said.
Airport chiefs have already begun talks with up to five international airlines.
They lost a bid to lure Malaysian carrier Air Asia X last year after Federal Government knocked back Avalon’s first terminal application.
Mr Giddings estimated that a new international terminal would create at least up to 500 full-time jobs in customs, quarantine, federal police, staff management and airline operations.