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Ceduna Airport upgrade set to begin

The Ceduna Airport is set to remain open as it undergoes construction to refresh the terminal building, with works due to begin next month.

May 29, 2020, updated Jun 01, 2020
Ceduna Airport. Image: Paddynnapper, Wikimedia Commons

Ceduna Airport. Image: Paddynnapper, Wikimedia Commons

The construction, which has been put out to tender, will provide the South Australian regional airport with an extended passenger departure and pick-up zone, increased undercover baggage claim area and modernised toilets.

The existing baggage collection and verandah structures will be removed and a new entrance, reshaped roof-line, outdoor waiting area and breezeway will be built.

According to State Government documents, the project won’t alter “the wholesale … current infrastructure” of the building.

The airport terminal will remain open throughout the entire construction, which is intended to be completed by December 24.

The airport was constructed on its current site in 1951 and has been owned by the District Council of Ceduna since 1991.

Due to travel restrictions as a result of the coronavirus, the airport’s primary airline Regional Express (Rex) has reduced its passenger flights from daily to twice a week.

The tender documents said additional flights were set to begin again as restrictions ease.

Earlier this year Rex announced it would stop all flights across the country, with the exception of Queensland.

Rex deputy chair John Sharp said at the time the impacts of COVID-19 meant there was a “tipping point in the airline business beyond which it will no longer be sustainable to operate reduced services.”

But in April, the Federal and State governments bailed out the carrier, providing funding for two flights a week for up to six months.

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Sharp said without the grant “many smaller regional communities would risk not having any air services at all for at least six months.”

“With the Commonwealth assistance packages for regional carriers in place, we are confident that we will be able to help all regional communities who are willing to work in partnership with us to rebuild their regional air services to their full potential over the next two years,” Sharp said.

“Rex will stand by all regional communities that have stood by Rex during this global and national crisis.”

In 2015, the airport expanded the aircraft parking area for Rex.

InDaily contacted the District Council of Ceduna and Rex for comment.

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