Cairns Airport (IATA: CNS, ICAO: YBCS) is an international airport in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Formerly operated by the Cairns Port Authority, the airport was sold by the Queensland Government in December 2008 to a private consortium. It is the seventh busiest airport in Australia. The airport is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the Cairns central business district in the suburb of Aeroglen. The airport lies between Mount Whitfield to the west and Trinity Bay to the east.

The airport serves international, domestic and general aviation flights including a number of helicopter operators. Flights are operated to major Australian cities and tourist destinations, regional communities in Far North Queensland, and a number of international destinations in the Asia-Pacific region with connections to the rest of the world. The airport formed the main base for Australian Airlines prior to its ceasing of operations in June 2006 (the airport remains a major port for parent company Qantas). It is also a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and the search and rescue helicopters of the State Emergency Service.

History

Cairns Airport goes back to 1928 when Tom McDonald started flying his de Havilland Gipsy Moth off a sand ridge near the present airport. He could only land and take off between high tides. During one emergency, Tom was forced to take off from beer barrels

During World War II the Australian Government bought the airport for use by the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1943 the main runway was hard surfaced and legthened to handle military aircraft. It was also used by the United States Army Air Forces as a transport base, with the 33d Troop Carrier Squadron (374th Troop Carrier Group) operating from the base during 1942. In 1949 The main runway was lengthened to 1730 metres to accommodate larger aircraft. During the mid-1960s the airport was upgraded and the runway further lengthened to 2020 metres and strengthened so jets could land.

During the 1970s Australia's two domestic airlines Trans Australia Airlines and Ansett provided regular scheduled services to most Australian capital cities and also Papua New Guinea, while in 1975 Air Niugini became the first international airline to commence flights out of Cairns, to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. In 1982 redevelopment of the airport commenced. This involved further lengthening of the runway to 2600 metres (making it the longest runway in Queensland) and construction of a new terminal building. The first stage of the redovelopment was finished in 1984 and a dual International and Domestic Terminal was opened. At the end of the decade the second stage of redevelopment was completed. This included a new separate International Terminal, associated aprons and taxiways, costing an estimated $80 million. The main runway was again extended, to 3196 metres. In 1997 the third stage of redevelopment was completed, during which a three storey Airport Administration Centre was constructed providing 4000 square metres of office space.^[2]

A $200 million redevelopment of the Domestic terminal started in August 2007 and was completed in 2010. Check-in facilities were expanded into a common-user facility for all airlines, and the building enlarged. Five new jet bridges replaced the existing three old bridges. In January 2010, Auckland International Airport Limited announced plans to purchase almost 25 per cent of North Queensland Airports (NQA), operator of the airports at Cairns and Mackay, for about $167 million.

Terminals

The airport has two passenger terminals on the eastern side of the airport on reclaimed mangrove swamp They are approximately 6 kilometres north from Cairns Central Shopping Centre and situated on Airport Avenue off Sheridan Street (Captain Cook Highway). The terminals are in two separate buildings 200 metres (660 ft) from one another. The Domestic terminal has five jet bridges, while the International Terminal currently has six jet bridges.^[3]

Runways

The airports main north-south runway is 3,196 m (10,486 ft) long. The flight path to the north of the main runway is located directly overhead Cairns' northern beach suburbs. The flight path to the south is located directly over central Cairns. A smaller 925 m (3,035 ft) runway for general aviation lies to the east; its final approach crosses the main runway. As of April 2011 this runway is closed and not expected to reopen.

Airlines and destinations

Notes

• ^1 These flights may make an intermediate stop en route to their listed final destination; however the airlines have no traffic rights to carry passengers solely between Cairns and Brisbane.

Cargo

Emergency service

• Royal Flying Doctor Service (Emergency Medical Retrieval and outback medical clinics)

Operations

Ground transport

Taxi

Ranks are located near both the International and Domestic Terminals. Black & White Taxi ranks are located immediately outside the International and Domestic Terminals.

Bus

Airport shuttle bus services to hotels, city centre, Northern Beaches, Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation are available.

Parking

Short-term and long-term parking and parking for people with a disability are located within the public carparks adjacent to both the Domestic and International Terminals. The public carparks are fully automated and operate 24 hours per day. They are run by Wilson Parking.

See also

• United States Army Air Forces in Australia (World War II)
• Transportation in Australia

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

• Official website