Brisbane Airport has forecast a school holiday passenger surge, with 1.65 million set to travel through the airport, and one day set to be the busiest since the pandemic.
Domestic travel at Brisbane Airport is expected to be six per cent busier than it was at the same time in 2022, with 1,287,000 passengers forecasted to pass through the Domestic Terminal.
The airport has also estimated that the busiest day for domestic travel is the 29 September with a forecasted 56,100 passengers to pass through, whilst the most popular day for international travel includes 16 September and 30 September, with both days having a forecast of 15,800 passengers.
Head of Public Affairs at Brisbane Airport, Stephen Becket, said that the domestic terminal will be popular, and provided advice for those travelling interstate.
“The Domestic Terminal will be humming these school holidays as Aussies come for an early taste of Summer, and when Brisbane Airport is busy, Queensland is busy,” Mr Becket said.
Much like the Domestic Terminal, the International Terminal in Brisbane Airport is predicted to see 40 per cent more passengers than it did during the Spring holiday season in 2022, with 366,000 individuals on the move.
“With each new international route announcement, that recovery gets stronger, fueling jobs across Queensland’s tourism industry. Soon non-stop flights from mainland China will begin, so the connection to Queensland’s most lucrative tourism market will be restored,” Mr Becket said.
“Passengers for international flights should arrive 3 hours prior for overseas travel, so that you build in a buffer to cope with busy roads, parking, terminals or delays to your taxi or rideshare.”
The top five locations where international visitors are coming from include:
- New Zealand
- USA
- UK
- India
- Taiwan
For Queenslanders travelling abroad, the most popular destinations include New Zealand, Bali, UK, Fiji and USA.
In preparation for the surge in tourist arrivals, Brisbane Airport is also creating school holiday activities for both Domestic and International travellers which will run from 11 September to 2 October.
The Domestic Terminal activities are being held at the Qantas food court and include a spin and win wheel whilst the International Terminal activities are at Village Green and include movie screenings, spin and win wheel, art and craft activities and a scavenger hunt of the terminal.
Brisbane Airport is also bringing back therapy dogs back to the Domestic Terminal as a way of reducing preflight stress for the travelling public.
The canine ambassadors from Therapy and Support Animals Australia are coming into the terminal with their handlers to provide furry support to manage any anxiety. Brisbane Airport completed a trial of therapy dogs in the Domestic Terminal in July.
“The therapy dogs trial was such a success, returning them for school holidays was a no-brainer. Passengers and airline crew found they lowered stress levels and were a nice pre-flight distraction. The team had so many incredible interactions with people as the dogs provided an icebreaker,” Mr Becket said.
Featured image: Therapy and Support Animals Australia therapy dog and passenger at Brisbane Airport during the Domestic Terminal trial in July 2023. Image courtesy of Brisbane Airport Australia.
