Sunshine Coast Airport officially opens new runway

Credit: Sunshine Coast Airport - Pictured left to right: Project Director, Ross Ullman; Mayor Mark Jamieson; Minister Kate Jones; and Andrew Brodie, Sunshine Coast Airport CEO.

Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) has welcomed the arrival of the first flight on its new $334 million runway, Runway 13/31, after being officially opened on 14 June 2020.

An Alliance Airlines Fokker 100 was the first aircraft to touchdown on the new runway, 11 weeks since the airport closed its terminal and temporarily suspended flight operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunshine Coast Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brodie, said that the completion of the new longer and wider runway came at a critical time and would open the region to more destinations and greater export opportunities for local producers. In addition, he emphasised that the new internationally-capable runway would be an enduring legacy for the Sunshine Coast, providing the platform for future growth.

Brodie said: “The effects of COVID-19 have crippled our industry and the broader regional economy, but this new runway paves the way towards brighter new horizons which I know will come soon. It will enable us to welcome wide-bodied aircraft, allowing us to fill bigger planes with more people and access more domestic and, in time, international destinations direct from our doorstep.”

“This new runway is not just for today, or even tomorrow – it will open up opportunities never possible from the region and return dividends for our region for generations to come. It also signifies the start of many new beginnings, as, in the next two decades, we’ll invest $200 million into this airport through the delivery of new infrastructure, like redeveloping our terminal, establishing a dedicated freight facility and developing our Gateway precinct,” he added.

Mark Jamieson, Sunshine Coast Council’s Mayor, said that witnessing the arrival of the first aircraft on the new runway at the Sunshine Coast Airport was a both an historic event and a special moment as the vision and plans of the Council became a reality.

Jamieson said: “Seeing this aircraft touch down really demonstrated how far we have come in the last eight years and gave us a glimpse of the exciting future that the Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project will deliver for our region and our community.”

He continued: “A project of this magnitude is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence and will be a notable highlight in the history of our Sunshine Coast. I have every confidence that today’s event is just the start of some exciting new opportunities ahead for the Sunshine Coast Airport and our community.”