Ballina Byron Gateway Airport

Ballina Byron Gateway Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorBallina Shire Council
LocationBallina, New South Wales
OpenedOctober 1986
Elevation AMSL7 ft / 2 m
Coordinates28°50′00″S 153°33′42″E / 28.83333°S 153.56167°E / -28.83333; 153.56167
Websiteballinabyronairport.com.au
Map
YBNA is located in New South Wales
YBNA
YBNA
Location in New South Wales
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
06/24 1,900 6,234 Asphalt
Statistics (March 2022–23)
Passengers650,323
Aircraft movements6,831
Sources: Airservices Australia,[1] BITRE[2]

Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (IATA: BNK, ICAO: YBNA) is a regional airport located at Ballina, New South Wales, Australia. It is owned and operated by Ballina Shire Council. It opened in October 1986.[3]

It serves Ballina and the nearby town of Byron Bay, a 20-minute drive north. Ballina Byron Airport handled 650,323 passengers between March 2022 and March 2023 making it the 16th busiest airport in Australia.[4]

It is 5 km (3 mi) from the Ballina CBD, in Southern Cross Drive. An occasional bus service operates to and from the airport, except on Christmas Day.

In 2005 Ballina Airport was renamed Ballina Byron Gateway Airport in a bid to attract more people to the area.[5]

In 2022 a new access road was constructed along with upgrades to the car parking and pedestrian access.[6] Further upgrades are proposed in the short-medium term to support the increasing passenger volumes including expanding the check-in area, expanding the departure hall and providing additional retail facilities, expanding the baggage collection capacity and additional taxiways, private aircraft terminal, air control tower and additional jet parking bays.[7]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
FlyPelican Newcastle[8]
Jetstar Melbourne, Sydney
QantasLink Sydney[9][10]
Virgin Australia Sydney

Operations

Busiest domestic routes (year ending June 2019)[11]
Rank Airport Passengers % change Carriers
1  New South Wales Sydney Airport 432,600 Increase 1.8 Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Rex Airlines

Other users

The Ballina Aero club, which was established in 1928, has a club house located in the general aviation hangar area. Use of the club house is available to transiting pilots.[12]

Air T&G operate a fleet of helicopters on sight seeing, fire bombing and training duties.

Black Swan Aviation is a general aviation aircraft maintenance facility carrying out all types of maintenance.

Classic Aero Adventure Flights operates a CAC Winjeel on warbird joy flights around the local district.

White Star Aviation provides flight training, Tecnam aircraft sales and FBO services. Cirrus Aircraft also operate an office inside White Star Aviation's facilities.

Australia's only Cirrus Vision SF50 (rego N755DS) is stored at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.

  • Air T&G hangar, Ballina Airport
    Air T&G hangar, Ballina Airport
  • Rex Airlines SAAB 340 at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport
    Rex Airlines SAAB 340 at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport
  • Ballina Airport general aviation hangars
    Ballina Airport general aviation hangars

References

  1. ^ YBNA – BALLINA (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024
  2. ^ "Airport Traffic Data 2023". Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics. September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. ^ Vist of the first commercial flight to Ballina Australian Aviation issue 36 January 1987 page 14.
  4. ^ "Domestic aviation activity August 2023". Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Ballina Airport Travel Guide". www.travelonline.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Discover Ballina - Airport Boulevard Now Open". www.discoverballina.com.au. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Ballina Shire Commercial Services Meeting Agenda" (PDF). Ballina Shire Council. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Media Release – FlyPelican to commence Air Services between Newcastle and Ballina (Byron Bay)" (PDF). Fly Pelican. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Qantas adds Sydney – Ballina service from late-March 2020 | Routes". Routesonline.com. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Qantas group network changes". Qantas. 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  11. ^ Australian Domestic Airline Activity
  12. ^ "Ballina Aero Club Inc – Ballina Aero Club". Ballinaaeroclub.org.au. Retrieved 23 April 2022.