Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport
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| Whitsunday Coast Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: PPP - ICAO: YBPN | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Whitsunday Shire Council | ||
| Serves | Proserpine, Queensland | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 82 ft (25 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 11/29 | 6801 | 2073 | Asphalt |
| 06/24 | 3608.92 | 1100 | Unmarked Asphalt |
Whitsunday Coast Airport (IATA: PPP, ICAO: YBPN) is located approximately 10 km south of Proserpine, Queensland, Australia. Major airlines refer to the airport as Whitsunday Coast which often causes confusion as it is not situated close to the coast. Today, the airport's main function is to provide transportation to the tourists who visit Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands
[edit] History
Plans to build an airfield in Proserpine commenced in 1936, however construction was delayed due to a lack of funding. Construction of the airport finally begun in 1946.
Saturday, November 3rd 1951 saw the arrival of the first passenger service to Proserpine. It was a flight from Brisbane in a DC30 Aircraft, the only aircraft that could land on the then unsealed strip.
Proserpine was previously Class D controlled airspace, however when the air traffic control tower was demolished due to financial cutbacks it was forced to become class G (uncontrolled MBZ on frequency 126.7)
Recently there has been upheaval about the status of the airport as nearby airport Laguna Quays submitted proposals to turn from a domestic terminal to an international terminal, thus causing the council to contemplate the sale of the airport to prevent financial loss. The public strongly protested the considered sale of the airport in 2004 by holding rallies in the main street of Proserpine.
[edit] Airlines and destinations
- Qantas
- Jetstar Airways (Brisbane, Sydney)
- Virgin Blue (Brisbane, Sydney)
