INTHEBLACK June 2026 - Magazine - Page 25
Amsterdam Airport
Schiphol analyses loyalty
data by layover duration
and flight time to push
personalised offers,
essentially turning a
three-hour connection
into a revenue window.
reduce friction and move people through
quickly and efficiently. “In Australia, there
are clear opportunities to take practical steps
in that direction, starting with ditching
the paper Incoming Passenger Card
and accelerating digital border solutions.”
Likewise, he says airports such as
Schiphol demonstrate the value of
commercial diversification, with strong
retail and hospitality revenue streams that
help to support long-term investment.
“Together, these approaches can improve
the traveller experience while also unlocking
productivity gains across tourism, trade and
the broader economy.”
SOARING HIGHER
Ultimately, debates about private versus
public interest with airports may lie
partly in how they reinvest their revenue.
If strong returns are spent on modernising
infrastructure and improving passenger
amenities, profitability could well align with
public interest. However, if profits flow
primarily to private investors without visible
service improvements, regulatory scrutiny is
likely to intensify.
What is clear is that billions of dollars will
flow into airport upgrades around the world
in the years to come, including at Sydney
(which plans to link two domestic terminals),
Melbourne (a new runway), Brisbane
(a new terminal) and Perth (a new runway
and terminal). The Australian Airports
Association says about A$33 billion in
investment is planned to expand or upgrade
Australian airports over the next decade,
most of which will be privately funded.
The ACCC’s Brakey says it is important
for Australian airports to deliver upgrades
that customers are going to value. “Of course,
we want customers to be well served, but
customers also need to value [the upgrades]
and be willing to pay for them.”
Westaway concludes that airports are
long-term infrastructure assets that require
sustained investment, regulatory certainty
and strong collaboration with government
and industry partners. He believes there
is a clear opportunity to improve the travel
experience through border modernisation
and digital transformation.
“Ultimately, a strong, resilient airport
sector is essential to supporting Australia’s
economic growth, regional connectivity
and global engagement.” ■
READ
an article on
climate risk and
tourism in APAC
LISTEN
to a podcast
episode on how
Hobart Airport
leads on climate
and sustainability
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 25
