Brisbane Airport (BNE) in Australia has announced that it will introduce new flight paths from 21 May, in preparation to open the new runway at the airport. This is the last milestone in the A$1.1bn project and the changes in the airspace will be implemented along with one of two international publication dates each year for major changes in the airspace. The aircraft navigation systems and air traffic control systems will be equipped with the airspace changes, which will help the aircraft, pilots and controllers to use the new flight paths and runway. The period from 21 May to 12 July, the opening date of the runway, is called the ‘interim operating period’. During this period, interim flights paths will be used, which will ensure aircraft using the new flight paths will be able to use the existing runway.
Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff stated that with the new airspace schedule and the practical completion of construction, the airport is ready to open the runway. He added: “From today, community members may notice some minor changes to where some aircraft fly but, during the interim operating period, as the new runway is not yet open, all aircraft will still be arriving and departing from the current runway. “This means that around 70% of flight path changes are in place now, with the remainder to come into effect from 12 July 2020 when we can operate from both runways.” The south and east arrivals and departures will use the new flight paths to the existing runway. During the interim operating period, the north and west arrivals and departures will use the interim flight paths to and from the existing runway. However, once the new runway commences operations, arrivals and departures to the north and west will start using the new runway. Last September, Brisbane Airport concluded construction of the first sections of the link taxiways that will connect the new runway with the domestic and international terminals, as well as the rest of the airfield.
