Gladstone Airport to stay open during revamp
Posted
The Gladstone Regional Council in central Queensland has decided to keep the city's airport open for flights throughout a major upgrade.
After a public backlash about the Gladstone Airport closing for at least a month during a $65 million upgrade next year, the council has announced changes to the plans.
The shortest the runway will get during the construction will now be 1,050 metres, enabling emergency access at all times.
The Member for Gladstone, Liz Cunningham, says the council has come up with a good compromise.
"I think the council's done its utmost to try and accommodate all that it had to consider," she said.
Russell Ousley from the Royal Flying Doctor Service has welcomed the news.
"It will be safe for the flying doctors to land and that's a great outcome for all people of the region," he said.
It is not yet clear whether commercial flights will continue throughout the entire construction period.
The Mayor of Rockhampton, Brad Carter, says the Rockhampton Airport may be able to help out if flights have to be cancelled in Gladstone.
"Our airport management has indicated that it's more than happy to work in with the Gladstone Regional Council and the airport down there to take some of the extra flow over if they have to close their airport," he said.
"I'm not fully aware of what their current status is down there at Gladstone, but as a regional airport we will work with Gladstone to make sure that passengers can travel to and from this broader region."
More than 200,000 passengers travel through the Gladstone Airport each year.
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