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ACCC Warns Airport Expansion Will Push Up Charges and Fares

The watchdog urges a Productivity Commission inquiry into unregulated airport pricing.

Overview

  • Airports plan $20 billion in major works over the next decade, after 2024–25 aeronautical investment jumped 43% to $1.5 billion.
  • Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth handled about 120 million passengers in 2024–25, with international travellers up 9.5% to 40.4 million.
  • Sydney Airport recorded $584.3 million in aeronautical profit and a 20.8% return on aeronautical assets, the highest in the ACCC’s monitoring history.
  • Airlines report sharp fee increases, with Virgin Australia citing a 14% rise in airport charges in the year to December 2025 and warning about affordability.
  • Finding the current regime ineffective against airports’ market power, the ACCC calls for a Productivity Commission review as the government moves to strengthen monitoring and competition.