Re: Sydney Airport overhaul
To me, it is just an excuse for Mac Airports to raise new fees in the future such as "Terminal Restructure Fee" etc, as well as justifying CEO position of not just milking the cow. If they really want to enhance customer experience they can surely build those Airport terminal train like at SIN, HKG, PEK. But no, they need to hassle everyone else and still have transit problems.
To some extent, the current system of transit buses works just fine. A train would certainly have some degree of reliability and speed above the buses, but for what expense for true benefit above and beyond the current?
If you mean a train to get
to and from the airport from Sydney city, well another smart-aleck blood-sucking mob already has the rights to that. Go throw red paint at them if you think they are charging a bomb for a substandard service.
HKG train inside the airport really only exists to cut down walking time, just like KIX. You could walk the entire length of terminal (and on a given day where you score a gate in the "neck", you don't have much choice there except a fairly long walk), though when one is loaded up with lounge food and Champagne, it does help to take the train if your flight is final calling you at the other end of the terminal! With the traffic going through SIN, bus connections between terminals are completely infeasible, and there's good argument as to whether the train shuttling is actually sufficient for demand (let alone comfort! Thankfully, all are short rides).
What the relocation plan will basically emulate is something like MEL, except split across the two major carriers of Australia (with "the rest" of the international going to the VA side). You'll still have issues with QF domestic connecting to non-
oneworld / non-JQ international, but it will be not much different to situation now.
If either of T2 or T3 become international, either one will need a significant overhaul in terms of quality of interiors, with the former definitely so. Even then, I wonder how QF and VA will view the investment in their specific infastructure and having to move terminals then to rebuild those structures, viz. for QF, the F Lounge, and for VA, the Premium Valet Entry. There would also need to be considerable thought (and accompanying disruption) as to how either terminal will be refit for outbound immigration and arrival services, including separating flow of inbound and outbound passengers and splitting/relocating/positioning inbound immigration and customs. Also, the A380 capable gates are all at T1; nothing at T2 or T3 can barely accommodate longhaul aircraft.
Heck, from what I've just assessed, the whole idea might just be to rip up all 3 terminals and rebuild! A costly effort indeed.... now who came up with this idea again.......... :-|
