Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Airport Development Group’s Executive GMO Rob Porter says new bag drops and check-in kiosks are part of an $11 million transformation of Darwin Airport

Transcript

Airport Development Group’s Executive GMO Rob Porter says new bag drops and check-in kiosks are part of an $11 million transformation of Darwin Airport · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: But if you've been out to the airport recently you
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: would have noticed quite a bit is happening, and if
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: you haven't, well you might expect some disruptions. The Airport
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  Speaker 1: Development Group is investing more than eleven million dollars to
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  Speaker 1: transform the Darwin Loop International Airport Terminal. So the plan
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  Speaker 1: transformation's going to touch nearly every aspect of the terminal,
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  Speaker 1: including an expanded terminal footprint, new common use check in
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  Speaker 1: kiosks and bag drop facilities, as well as major renos
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  Speaker 1: to all the food and beverage outlets, and expanded security
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  Speaker 1: screening and covered car parking. Now Rob Porter, the Executive
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  Speaker 1: General Manager of Operations, joins me on the line.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning to you.
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  Speaker 3: Rob, Good morning Coty.
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  Speaker 2: How are you really good? Thanks so much for your
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  Speaker 2: time this morning, Rob.
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  Speaker 1: What work is currently underway out there at the airport.
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  Speaker 3: It feels like everything Katy at the moment. So certainly
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  Speaker 3: we're well advanced with the check the checking kaos and
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  Speaker 3: the automated bag drop. Stage one opens today, so we'll
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  Speaker 3: see kiosks being used by connois passengers and bag drops
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  Speaker 3: being used by Connois passengers today, so there'll be lots
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  Speaker 3: of people on hand to help people through the new system.
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  Speaker 3: But we're genuinely excited about this transformation of how people
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  Speaker 3: will check in for the airline into the future.
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  Speaker 1: So ROB, is the check in area in the same
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  Speaker 1: spot as what it's always been, just revamped or has
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  Speaker 1: it sort of moved.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, Look, it's been tricky, so it's going to push back.
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  Speaker 3: So we've been doing lots of work behind the counters,
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  Speaker 3: So if you're checking in today, we've been busy behind
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  Speaker 3: they're constructing the conveyor system and certainly the bag drops
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  Speaker 3: today is kind of the first reveal. We've taken down
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  Speaker 3: some of the hoarding and you can see just how
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  Speaker 3: the checking counters will look into the future. And then
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  Speaker 3: eventually all of the traditional checking counters will go and
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  Speaker 3: we'll have thirty kios and twenty three bag drops to
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  Speaker 3: check people into the future.
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  Speaker 1: So expanding, expanding it and hopefully making it easier, you
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  Speaker 1: know with those extra kiosks.
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  Speaker 3: ROB.
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  Speaker 2: Has there been disruption though in the meantime.
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  Speaker 3: Oh absolutely. It's definitely a challenge when you know, when
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  Speaker 3: you're a busy airport and you know, working through with passengers.
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  Speaker 3: But yeah, look, I think the team has done an
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  Speaker 3: excellent job in terms of staging and corners. Has been
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  Speaker 3: fantastic in taking and taking on the first step with
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  Speaker 3: moving to the bagdop and the kiosks. So look, we're
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  Speaker 3: pleased with how it's going. We do do us for
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  Speaker 3: patients as we as we bed down the new system.
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  Speaker 1: None now rob outside of the terminal as well. It
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  Speaker 1: sounds as though it seems as though there's heaps of
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  Speaker 1: work going on some of the different roads and that
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  Speaker 1: kind of thing too. What's happening out there.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, so most of the road network has been has
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  Speaker 3: been finished, so we've got sort of Darwin's biggest roundabout
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  Speaker 3: and you know leading on to our hotel complet where
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  Speaker 3: there's you know, there's where there's pool facilities. Oh look,
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  Speaker 3: it's just just amazing. We're getting closer and closer to
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  Speaker 3: completing that project. And then as you come up to
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  Speaker 3: the to the to the front of the terminal, our
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  Speaker 3: plan is we've ordered our covered car parking for the
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  Speaker 3: where the high cars are when the short term drop
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  Speaker 3: off areas a sort term parking area, should I say so? Look,
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  Speaker 3: it's just yeah, we're really whipping in and we're going
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  Speaker 3: to transform this this terminal basically for what the community
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  Speaker 3: would expect, and what about.
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  Speaker 1: The food and beverage offerings, and you know what's going
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  Speaker 1: to happen. I'm assuming upstairs in that area up there,
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  Speaker 1: is there going to be.
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  Speaker 2: More on offer.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, there certainly would be more in a different food
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  Speaker 3: and beverage offer And I think what's also amazing is
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  Speaker 3: that we're rushing putting some more windows, so people going
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  Speaker 3: to look out out over the over the apron and
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  Speaker 3: see see the planes coming and going. So that'll open
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  Speaker 3: it up. It'll be brighter, there'll be different food and
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  Speaker 3: beverage products up there. But it's definitely disruptive. But we're
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  Speaker 3: really excited about about our plans.
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  Speaker 2: So Rob, when's it all going to be finished?
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  Speaker 1: Because, as you said, you know, it is disruptive for people,
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  Speaker 1: and I know that sometimes then they might get out
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  Speaker 1: there or they arrived you know, maybe they arrive in
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  Speaker 1: on a flight. You know, you're juggling kids, juggling trying
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  Speaker 1: to get your bags and all that kind of stuff,
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  Speaker 1: and there is potentially delays as a result of the
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  Speaker 1: work that's happening.
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  Speaker 2: When do you anticipate that it's all going to be done?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think over the next twelve months. You know,
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  Speaker 3: we've got an ambitious plan to get all this all
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  Speaker 3: this work done, so particularly the work inside the terminal
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  Speaker 3: the check ins will be finished this year and then
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  Speaker 3: upstairs probably early next year when we'll see the final product.
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  Speaker 3: But as we progressively stage the project, you're going to
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  Speaker 3: get some glimpses of what the future of Darwin Terminal
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  Speaker 3: looks like.
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  Speaker 1: Rob tell Us, I know that you're also in a
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  Speaker 1: statement that was released by the Airport Development Group, have
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  Speaker 1: also said that the trolleys and ow going to cost
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  Speaker 1: four dollars to use.
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  Speaker 2: Why is that.
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  Speaker 3: We've invested in more than two hundred new trolleys and
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  Speaker 3: eight new stations to pick up trolleys from. They're a
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  Speaker 3: safer product and I think those have used our trolleys
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  Speaker 3: probably agree that they're well overdue for replacement. So yes,
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  Speaker 3: there's there's the introduction of the new trolleys, safer, more
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  Speaker 3: maneuverable trolleys, but certainly that also comes with a.
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  Speaker 2: Small fee, so it's not a cash grab.
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  Speaker 3: I wouldn't say so. I mean we've got a lot
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  Speaker 3: of people were actually got people employed that chase the
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  Speaker 3: trolleys and bring them back. You know, we can find
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  Speaker 3: our tlleies in a rapid creek and all around the place.
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  Speaker 3: So look, it is a small fee for the access
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  Speaker 3: to some new safer trolleys.
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  Speaker 1: Rob. We've had that discussion before, even about the Woolies
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  Speaker 1: and coals trolleys and where they end up around the
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  Speaker 1: Northern territory. It's quite surprising where people take the trolleys.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, it is to be crazy, isn't it. Yeah, you know,
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  Speaker 3: rickety ones that we have now are not much good
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  Speaker 3: for anything. So yeah, it's time, okadie, It's time to
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  Speaker 3: replace them and renew them and putting these these new stations.
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  Speaker 1: Hey, Rob, there's been some media reports that two airlines
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  Speaker 1: are considering launching services in the territory.
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  Speaker 2: One of them Bonds are the.
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  Speaker 1: Other is the other I think is Nexus. Where are
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  Speaker 1: things that? Do you know in terms of the airport
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  Speaker 1: development's talks with these airlines.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, certainly talks are progressing with both of those airlines.
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  Speaker 3: Nexus is a new airline operating out of w A
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  Speaker 3: and I think that you're really excited about the opportunities
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  Speaker 3: that they will bring to give access to regional ports,
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  Speaker 3: you know, Cannonara and the like, and access to the
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  Speaker 3: West still a bit more work to do with both
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  Speaker 3: of those airline operators, but yeah, exciting times ahead, that's
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  Speaker 3: for sure.
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  Speaker 1: So are both those airlines considering services to Darwin and
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  Speaker 1: also Alis or just for Darwin or any idea at
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  Speaker 1: this stage.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, as you know Katie that the Airport Development Group
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  Speaker 3: has both both airports, so whenever we have conversations with
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  Speaker 3: airline and airline operators, we'll always keep an eye out
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  Speaker 3: what else could be possible for our springs as well,
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  Speaker 3: So we will always go in and have conversations around
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  Speaker 3: both Dale and our springs, that's for sure, Rob.
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  Speaker 1: Any idea how far off we could be from seeing
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  Speaker 1: Nexus or Bonds are operating in the Terror trail or
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  Speaker 1: is it too early to tell?
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  Speaker 3: Oh, I watched this space, Datie. You know this team.
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  Speaker 3: We're doing a fantastic job with Nexus, so yeah, watch
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  Speaker 3: this space closely.
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  Speaker 1: Well. We will certainly keep in contact and no doubt
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  Speaker 1: find out more when we get to that point. It
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  Speaker 1: is always good to catch up with you, Rob Porter,
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  Speaker 1: the Executive General Manager of Operations with the Airport Development Group,
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  Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning.
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  Speaker 3: Thanks Datie, and happy Monday, Eon.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you