Australian Government response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into the Economic Regulation of Airports

The Productivity Commission’s (PC) Inquiry into the Economic Regulation of Airports found that the existing airport regulatory framework remains fit for purpose and that there is no current justification for significant change to the current form of ‘light handed’ economic regulation of aeronautical services established under the Airports Act 1996 (the Act).  The Government agrees with this view and supports many of the PC’s recommendations including: 

• that regulators should receive a broader range of financial information (aeronautical, car parking and landside access and services) and more transparency in airport performance data;
• that airports be more accountable to the community and the travelling public through closer quality of services monitoring; and
• that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) undertake a review of quality of service indicators to ensure they have a greater focus on outcomes and more closely reflect the expectations of passengers, airlines and other airport users.