Local councils have raised concerns about the potential for skyrocketing airport security screening costs at the Mount Gambier Airport that will impact air fares.
The Mount Gambier City Council and the Grant District Council have highlighted inequities relating to the cost of security screening at Australian airports, with regional passengers facing fees significantly higher than their city counterparts.
The matter was raised at City Council’s meeting last week, when Councillor Paul Jenner requested that council write a letter to a host of politicians asking for their support for regional airports to share the costs associated with security screening between all passengers in Australia.
A council report on the matter found that Mount Gambier airport passengers face a $90 fare hike once security screening requirements are introduced with the airport nearing passenger number thresholds that will trigger mandatory screening.
The report showed that at Port Lincoln Airport passengers pay around $15 per ticket, $45 at Whyalla, with Mount Gambier earmarked for a $90 fee, yet passengers in Sydney pay only 70 cents.
Cr Jenner said it was “so stupid and inconsiderate” that a passenger flying from Sydney could pay 70 cents for airport screening while someone flying out of Mount Gambier could be charged $90 for the same service.
Cr Jenner said such a high fee would make it unaffordable for some patients flying for health reasons, even considering reimbursement through the Patient Assessment Transport Scheme.
“At the end of the day this is not just going to affect Grant District Council who runs and maintains the airport, this is really going to affect the City of Mount Gambier citizens,” he said.
Council resolved to write to the Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Trade and Tourism, Member for Barker, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Member for Mount Gambier, Member for MacKillop and Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Regional Roads and Government Accountability to seek their support in the matter.
Meanwhile, at the Grant District Council’s May meeting it was revealed the council is awaiting further information in its bid to have the matter addressed.
Chief executive Daryl Whicker, in his monthly report, said council was waiting for confirmation that two proposed motions about the airport had been included in the agenda for the National General Assembly to be held in Canberra next month.
Two motions were submitted to ALGA for inclusion in the National General Assembly by the council as decided at their monthly meeting in March.
The first motion was jointly proposed by Grant District Council alongside Mount Gambier City Council seeking Federal Government support for the cost of regional air travel and airport maintenance.
The second motion was proposed by Grant District Council as the sole owner/operator of the Mount Gambier Regional Airport seeking Federal Government support for the cost of airport security screening.
