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A new master plan for Sydney Airport – the third plan in less than a decade – foresees international aircraft using the airport’s existing domestic terminals to cope with an enormous increase in international visitor arrivals. 

Master Plan 2039, a 20-year blueprint for Australia’s busiest airport, was released in preliminary draft form on Monday. It replaces the previous Master Plan 2033 (released in February 2014), which in turn replaced the previous 2009 master plan.

The latest version forecasts that Sydney Airport passenger numbers will rise by 51% to reach 65.6 million in 2039 – and that’s despite the anticipated opening of Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek in 2026. Construction on Badgerys Creek is starting this year.

The main driver behind Sydney Airport’s passenger growth will be international travellers, who are forecast to nearly double over the next 20 years to 31.5 million.

To help cater for this, an “integrated operations precinct” at the existing T2 and T3 domestic terminals will handle international flights.

Despite that, the main entry and exit point for international arrivals and departures will remain the T1 international terminal.

Sydney Airport Terminal

“International passengers, who contribute the most to the NSW and Australian economies, will be the main driver of growth and, by 2039, the mix of international and domestic passengers is expected to be 48% and 52% respectively,” the report says.

“Total air passenger numbers are forecast to increase by 51%, from 43.3 million in 2017 to 65.6 million in 2039. International passenger traffic contributes the most value to the NSW and Australian economies.”

The plan involves a motorway link to the WestConnex tollroad through a 13-hectare block of land north of the airport, called the “northern lands”.

Qantas Drive and Airport Drive around the airport’s northern perimeter would be widened from two lanes in each direction to four.

Other points:

Sydney Airport

Terminal Development Plan to 2039 includes:

  • Provision of new terminal infrastructure north of T1 and east of T2 and T3, to deliver additional active stands:
    • 17 additional contact stands
    • Seven additional active bussed aircraft parking positions
  • Development of a satellite pier in the South West Sector providing a passenger product with a similar experience to that provided in the current terminal connected piers.
  • Enhancements to the terminal forecourts and landside areas to improve passenger and visitor experiences.
  • Optimising the use of terminal infrastructure by introducing swing gates that can accommodate international and domestic/regional aircraft.
  • Improving the door-to-door experience for all passengers with investment in next generation technology, as well as enhanced access to multi-modal ground transport facilities.
  • Enhancing the retail and food and beverage offering throughout the terminals.
  • Improving passenger connectivity by reducing inter-precinct transfers.
  • A sustainable inter-precinct passenger transfer product that over time would utilise autonomous vehicles.
  • Solutions to enhance airline efficiency by reducing minimum connection times and improving aircraft utilisation.
  • Increasing the flexibility of terminal infrastructure to respond to changing airline business models.

Written by Peter Needham