Qantas and Perth Airport (PER) have announced that they have reached a “historic” 12-year multi-billion dollar agreement that will bring new international and domestic flights to Western Australia and connect it to the rest of the country.
Perth Airport will invest around AUD 3 billion ($2 billion) in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway to generate immediate and ongoing economic growth and job creation.
This will form part of a AUD 5 billion ($3.33 billion) capital investment program by Perth Airport which will also deliver two multi-storey car parks, major access roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel. According to Qantas, this is the largest-ever private infrastructure development in Perth.
Qantas and Jetstar will also relocate all their services to a dedicated terminal that the airline said will enable the growth required to turn Western Australia into a major domestic and international hub for the airlines.
The new terminal is set to open in 2031, and together, Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually.
The Australian flag carrier said the hub will significantly enhance inbound tourism and give Australians more options when traveling to Asia, Africa, India, and Europe.
Qantas said it will work with Perth Airport on plans for a multi-lounge precinct for international and domestic passengers with a new signature design and bespoke dining and wellness initiatives.
Under the agreement, Qantas also plans to build a new engineering hangar in the Airport Central precinct.
Qantas and Perth Airport have also agreed on the need for and timing of the new parallel runway which is expected to be open in 2028.
“This is the largest airport infrastructure deal in our history,” Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a statement. “It will enable us to create a world-class western hub and significantly expand our domestic and international services over the short, medium and long term.”
“Perth-London and Perth-Rome are two of the most popular flights on our international network, which gives us confidence in our strategy to ramp up WA flying over the next few years as we receive new aircraft and grow our fleet,” Hudson added.
Hudson also said that the additional flying would see Qantas create an estimated 700 new jobs in Western Australia across pilots, crew, engineering, and airport staff.