Airports and airlines are preparing for record passenger numbers these holidays, with delays possible at our two biggest airports.
Sydney Airport expects 5.8 million passengers between this weekend and Australia Day.
Melbourne Airport’s chief executive Lorie Argus said 4.8 million people will pass through its terminals in the same period.
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“One of the busiest times on record for us — both domestically and internationally,” Argus said.
“So, we’re excited, but we’re also saying please show up early because it’s going to be very busy here at the airport for the next few weeks.”
There is significant construction underway at Melbourne Airport where a new car entry ramp is being built, and Sydney Airport’s chief executive Scott Charlton says his terminals are also being upgraded.
“We’re spending billions of dollars on the airport, so there will be a bit of disruption potentially,” Charlton said.
“Just be aware and we will have extra staff to help you on your journey.”
Inside the Qantas operations centre, Christmas decorations light up the usually dim space.
The airline predicts 250,000 more passengers will fly with it this summer compared to last.
Speaking exclusively to 7NEWS inside the centre, its manager Ben Holland says the airline realised a few months ago this Christmas would be a bumper one
“It hasn’t come as a surprise,” Holland said. “We’ve seen a gradual build-up in the last few months of passengers travelling with us.”
Memories remain of the calamity in 2022 when mountains of bags were lost and schedules were thrown into disarray by sick and isolating staff.
As a result, Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar will keep a small number of aircraft on the sidelines should mechanical issues arise.
Virgin has 2 ex-Rex Boeing 737s that will be used as spares, Qantas will keep a long-haul Boeing 787 on short-haul routes in case its domestic operations have problems.
“But we’re only selling the seats equivalent to the capacity of a 737,” said Holland. “That allows us to potentially substitute a 737 in, and move the 787 to increase capacity on maybe a Sydney-Melbourne, depending on the circumstances.”
Qantas’ Boeing 737 seats 174 passengers, and the Boeing 787 seats 236 passengers.
A Qantas Airbus A380 is due back from months away in a maintenance hangar in Abu Dhabi; this too will add to Qantas’ short-term capacity. Two more A380s are still yet to return to service after being stored in the desert during the pandemic.
Virgin reports travel demand is up 3 per cent this summer.
Extra flights are scheduled to holiday hot spots including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Tasmania and Byron Bay.
The airline’s busiest days are December 20 and 22 before Christmas, and after, December 27.
Because of the disruption from construction, plus the extra passenger numbers, it’s recommended you arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight if you’re checking in luggage. One hour before if you only have carry-on.
International flights should have a three-hour arrival buffer.
And to avoid delays on board, Jetstar Cabin Manager Rachael Patten warns we should avoid big suitcases as carry-on as this could see a plane’s take-off time pushed out.
“All those presents, we’re not as good as Santa,” she said. “We can’t quite fit them all in to take with us, so just check them in.”