Canberra Airport to meet with Deputy Prime Minister on Sydney flight woes

Canberra Airport bosses are meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Monday to discuss cancellation issues plaguing flights between the capital and Sydney.

The latest set of government statistics showed cancellation rates on the route have crept up again after falling in January.

Airport Chief Stephen Byron will raise flight cancellation concerns with the federal government on Monday.
Photo: Dion Georgopoulos

The cancellation rate for Canberra to Sydney flights was 3.2 per cent in February, compared to a nationwide cancellation rate of 1.3 per cent.

Flights from Broome to Perth had the highest cancellation rate in the country, with 6.1 per cent of flights cancelled in February, according to the infrastructure department's latest domestic airline performance report.

Cancellation rates on the Canberra to Sydney route have been an ongoing concern for Canberra Airport since they peaked at a nationwide high of 8.1 per cent in September last year.

It is understood the airport's managing director Stephen Byron will meet with Mr McCormack, who is the federal Transport Minister, alongside the airport's executive chairman Terry Snow.

The consistently high percentage of cancellation rates has been an issue somewhat peculiar to the Canberra to Sydney route.

By comparison with other Canberra routes, in February just 0.9 per cent of Canberra to Melbourne and Canberra to Brisbane flights were cancelled.

Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron has previously described the pattern of cancellations as "unacceptably high".

"We are concerned that the pattern of cancellation rates on the Canberra to Sydney route seems to now be showing up as customers choosing to use other modes of transport," he said.

"Whether they are choosing to drive or use the bus, it's hard to imagine people would find the roads in Sydney more reliable than the airlines."

It is not the first time Canberra's cancellation rate has come to the attention of politicians.

Canberra Labor MP Gai Brodtmann raised the matter of Canberra flight cancellations in Parliament last year.

"Canberra Airport called for the Turnbull government and the consumer commission to step in when airlines having a higher than average flight cancellation rate," she said.

"The Turnbull government's inaction on this issue lets airlines off the hook and underscores yet again their complete and utter contempt for Canberra."

Former Transport Minister Darren Chester has previously dismissed the idea of federal government intervention to tackle the issue.

"The Australian government has been liaising with airlines about the recent decline in reliability and is closely monitoring recent on time performance statistics," Mr Chester said last year.

"Clearly, it is in the interest of airlines to operate their flights on time and I understand airlines are taking action to improve performance, including adjustments to scheduling and network operations.

"On time performance is expected to improve in coming months, and while a taskforce is not currently considered necessary, the government will continue to monitor the situation."

The latest round of infrastructure department statistics did carry some good news for Canberra Airport.

According to the statistics, 100 per cent of flights from Canberra to Adelaide arrived on time in February, the only route in the country to meet this mark.