Following the collapse of Rex Airlines, the management of airline access to Australia's largest airport will undergo significant changes. The Albanese government is set to revamp Sydney Airport's access system, attributing part of Rex's failure to the monopolisation of slots at the nation's busiest airport.
Transport Minister Catherine King has initiated a tender process to select a new manager for the airport's time slots, which have been under the control of a company owned primarily by Qantas and Virgin Australia.
"Our reforms to the slot system at Sydney Airport are crucial for enhancing competition and increasing transparency," stated Ms. King.
The government had previously announced reforms earlier in the year, which are pending introduction to parliament. These include altering the allocation process to release more slots and redefining what constitutes a new entrant, simplifying the process for new airlines to secure time slots.
Prospective slot managers in the tender process are required to show how they will handle and prevent conflicts of interest. These changes are part of a broader reform package for the Sydney Airport slot system announced in February. The government has fulfilled several of these reforms, such as conducting an independent audit of slot usage, with the findings to be disclosed upon completion.
Additionally, the Compliance Committee for Sydney Airport has been reinstated to oversee adherence to the slot regime for the country's most profitable airport. Further reforms aim to modernise the compliance system with penalties targeting anti-competitive behavior, enhance enforcement tools for the government to monitor airlines more closely, and mandate airlines to regularly disclose their slot usage details, including reasons for cancellations or significant delays, which will be made public routinely.
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