The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued its annual regulatory reports for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth Airports. The reports for Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth Airports include the final reporting on price cap compliance, which covers the period from 1997/98, when the airports were sold, up until 30 June 2002.
"The reports show that over the past five years, regulated charges fell by around 20 per cent in real terms at the price-capped airports", ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.
"It should be noted, however, that the airports are now subject only to prices monitoring", he said. "Since 1 July 2002, airports have been free to set charges as they see fit.
"The reports also show that quality of airport services has generally been good over the five year period of reporting. This suggests that service quality has not been sacrificed to reduce costs under the price cap arrangements. This is a good result for both passengers and airlines".
At Brisbane Airport there have been consistently high standards of quality reported, while recent survey results for Sydney Airport also indicate a high degree of satisfaction with the quality of services provided. Results for Melbourne Airport showed that users have been satisfied with the availability and standard of the facilities and services each year except 1999/2000 when some issues were identified. These appear to have since been addressed. At Perth Airport, surveys of users indicate reasonable levels of satisfaction with the services provided, although some lower ratings from airlines were apparent in 2001-02.
These are the final ACCC reports covering price cap arrangements, which expired at the end of June 2002. On 1 July, a prices monitoring regime was introduced, under which the ACCC will report on pricing outcomes but does not expressly limit them.
The ACCC reports also cover financial reporting and pricing of some services not covered by the price cap. This reporting, along with quality of service monitoring, will continue. The ACCC expects to release reports for the 2002/03 financial year in the latter part of 2003.