In a pointed observation ahead of the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) CEO Gert‑Jan de Graaff has warned that Australia’s current incoming passenger systems are too cumbersome to cope with the expected influx of travellers.
De Graaff noted that the airport is aiming to accommodate around 52 million passengers annually by 2046. Yet, with today’s technology and processes, the airport believes it simply cannot process travellers in “acceptable times” during major events.
Key pain-points include:
- The limited rollout of the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) – at present only accessible for certain airlines (notably Qantas Airways) rather than all arriving passengers.
- Lack of full‐scale biometric systems (facial/iris recognition) for arriving/connecting passengers, compared with other hubs such as Singapore Changi Airport.
- Inefficient baggage transfer processes, especially for international arrivals connecting domestically, for example, requiring luggage pickup then re-checking rather than through-transit direct transfer.
Why this matters for hospitality, airports and service partners
- With major international events approaching, airports and hospitality venues must plan for sharper peaks and higher volumes—not just “business as usual.” The bottlenecks flagged by Bac’s CEO indicate that anyone in the travel supply chain (serviced apartments, airport services, transfer providers) will need to build in buffer time, flexible staffing, and enhanced guest-flow systems.
- Guest experience will be under pressure: delays or cumbersome arrival processes may ripple through to accommodations, transport providers and events. Guest feedback and service design must therefore anticipate these “first impressions” of arrival as part of the total hospitality experience.
- Technology integration is no longer optional: The airport’s emphasis on biometrics, contactless baggage flow and digital declarations means that service providers must align with the evolving systems. For example, transfer companies might need to implement more robust tracking or guest-communication systems to compensate for any arrival delays.
- Collaborations matter: The CEO emphasised that BAC is “working closely with other airports, with the airlines and with Border Force… to introduce technologies as soon as we can.” This signals that partnerships across the chain—airports, airlines, ground operators, hospitality—will drive success. Service providers should proactively engage with airport/airport-adjacent stakeholders rather than wait for mandates.
Actionable steps for our readers/service partners:
- Review your arrival & check-in processes with an eye on extra time: assume that current systems could be slower during high-volume events and build in contingencies.
- Assess your technology readiness: Are you set up to receive guest data earlier, communicate efficiently on arrivals, handle unexpected delays with smooth guest flow?
- Strengthen collaboration with airport ground operations: Seek visibility on how the arrival systems are evolving (ATD rollout, biometric gates, baggage flow) and ensure your service pathways interface cleanly with those.
- Communicate expectations with guests/clients: For corporate groups or events, manage arrival messaging so guests know what to expect and are primed for potential queues or transfer delays—so that the overall experience remains positive.
Conclusion:
The warning from Brisbane’s airport CEO is a reminder that large-scale travel infrastructure is under strain and evolving rapidly. For companies like Corporate Keys and our network of hospitality and service providers, the message is clear: anticipate, adapt, and collaborate. Whether we’re supporting large event groups, corporate stays or high-volume guest arrivals, the arrival experience is now as critical as the stay itself.
