Qantas jet hit by lightning… again

Qantas Airbus operating the QF72 Singapore to Perth flight was struck by lightning soon after departure from Changi Airport, the airline confirmed.

A spokesman for the airline said the incident had not presented any safety issue to the aircraft or passengers.               

The plane landed safely in Perth at its scheduled arrival time of 2.20pm, where it will now be inspected.

“The A330-300 aircraft will be inspected by engineers after landing,” the spokesman said.

“It is too soon to say if any maintenance will be required.”

To allow the necessary checks to be undertaken, the return QF71 flight to Singapore will be delayed by about two-and-a-half hours.

It will now depart Perth at 6pm.

Qantas said passengers booked on QF71 would be provided with refreshment vouchers.

“We will be keeping them informed of developments in the lead up to the departure,” the spokesman said.

Source  :  www.watoday.com.au

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New screening could shorten airport waiting

A new way of luggage screening could reduce waiting for frustrated passengers at Perth International Airport, its proponents say.                                                  

The company contracted to screen international passenger baggage says it is testing a system which helps overcome problems caused when luggage is loaded on to a plane but the passenger fails to board.

Unisys, which was recently granted a five-year extension to its contract, says the new technology will allow its existing barcode tracking system to link passengers to bags.

Currently at Perth Airport, the barcode is linked only to the bag, meaning substantial delays can often result as staff try to find and remove baggage should a passenger fail to board.

A Unisys spokeswoman said the new system would be implemented in Perth “in the near future” once testing had finished.

The new technology was part of the requirment of the renewal of the contract with the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia, the peak aviation industry body.

Source  :  www.watoday.com.au

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3 Malaysians nabbed in Perth for A$90,000 fake credit card purchases

THREE Malaysian tourists have been charged for allegedly purchasing more than $90,000 (about RM255,000) worth of jewellery and electrical goods with fake credit cards across Perth.

The two women, aged 21 and 26, and a 31-year-old man, had apparently travelled from the eastern states of Australia to Perth earlier this month and made the  purchases at various shopping centre stores using altered credit cards and false identification. 

Australian news agencies reported that police major fraud squad detectives apprehended the trio following a probe into the use of the counterfeit cards after shop owners alerted them. They are due to appear in the Perth Magistrate’s Court today.

Detective first class constable Rulan Carr from the Police Fraud Squad told ABC News that the suspects  were  traced to the Perth Airport where they were about to board a plane on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old woman was first to be arrested and was in possession of a suitcase allegedly containing a large quantity of jewellery and laptop computers, estimated worth more than $90,000.

The two others were found by police, also at the airport, and taken into custody on suspicion of being involved in the scam.

Debit cards and other documentary evidence were also discovered.

“The items were seized and the persons were charged with various fraud offences,” said Carr. “Investigations are still continuing into those items.”

Further charges are expected to be laid against the three.

Source  :  http://www.mmail.com.my/content/3-malaysians-nabbed-perth-a90000-fake-credit-card-purchases

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$3billion proposal to upgrade Perth Airport

Perth Airport is set for a $3 billion upgrade over the next 10 years to transform it into a transportation showpiece.    
The capital works program, from private and government sources, is the biggest ever for the airport.

In line there is  a $1 billion in terminal facilities, $525 million for road upgrades and $1.4 billion in hotels and multi-storey carparks. 
   
Terminal WA is set to be opened in 2011, and an integrated international and domestic terminal on the site of the existing international terminal to be phased in over the next seven years. 
  

 Perth Airport chief executive Brad Geatches said yesterday that the airport would become one of the best in the Asia-Pacific region. 
  

The master plan, which is available for public comment until August 10, outlines the airport’s plans through to 2019 and brings development forward 10 years.  
   
The  terminal upgrades, a new ring road and improvements to key intersections will be started over the next 12 months.

The escalators will be on the left of the building and will take departing passengers and the public upstairs. The existing facilities will be for arrivals only. 
   
Major funding has also been committed to upgrade the road network around the airport.

The Budget included more than $115 million in projected major intersection works along the Tonkin Highway interfacing with Perth Airport.

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About Perth Airport

Strategically located in relation to South East Asia, Europe and Africa, Perth Airport is Australia’s fourth largest airport in terms of passenger traffic and is the winner of the (AAAustralian Airports Association A) award for Australian Major Airport of the Year for 2003 and 2004.

Only 12 kilometres from the heart of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, the airport is part of a 2,105 hectare estate with sufficient capacity to expand and meet the projected commercial aviation demand of the 21st century.

Of the 2,105 hectares, over 700 hectares is available for a wide range of non-aviation property development, providing the potential for the airport to become a major commercial and industrial centre.

Westralia Airports Corporation (WAC) also works closely with the tourism industry to develop tourism in Western Australia and is a member of the Perth Convention Bureau, the Pacific Asia Travel Association and is a gold member of the Tourism Council of Western Australia.

WAC is closely involved with Tourism WA in promoting the State as an attractive destination for overseas visitors, with a strong focus on working with airlines to increase the number of passengers travelling to Western Australia.

Perth Airport is the premier international, domestic and regional gateway to this exciting State for commercial aircraft, freight and passengers, and plays an important role in Western Australia’s economy.

Economic Benefits of Perth Airport

In 2003, Economic Research Associates Pty Ltd studied the economic significance of Perth Airport to Western Australia’s economy. The report estimated that all airport associated activities generated approximately $2.2 billion a year, or 3% of the Gross State Product
(GSP) for Western Australia.

Direct employment is estimated at 5,960 jobs, with $342 million in direct salaries and wages. In total, Perth Airport provides around 16,800 jobs for Western Australians, generating approximately $850 million in wages.

Perth Airport Facilities

Perth Airport’s primary aviation facilities include:

•A two building with nine operational aircraft barunway system able to handle both existing and planned intercontinental commercial aircraft
•An International Terminal ys, five of which have aerobridges
•A with three freighter positionMulti-User Domestic Terminal complexs and a total of 22 operational aircraft bays, five of which have aerobridges
•Air freight, aviation fuel and in-flight catering facilities
•Air traffic control facilities
•24-hour rescue and fire fighting facilities.
Terminals at Perth Airport

Terminal 1 (International) is located on the eastern side of the main runway and is positioned between this runway and a future wide-spaced parallel runway.

The Domestic Terminals are located on the western side of the airfield. Qantas operates Terminal 2, where Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar domestic services arrive and depart.

Adjacent to Terminal 2 is the Westralia Airports Corporation (WAC) operated Terminal 3. The airlines operating from Terminal 3 are Alliance Airlines, OzJet, Skywest Airlines, Virgin Blue.

Perth Airport also encompasses several smaller terminal operations, which provide charter services and services to specific regional areas in Western Australia.

http://www.perthairport.com

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