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Melbourne’s SkyBus has signed a deal to provide airside transport at Sydney Airport.
SkyBus, owned by Kinetic, is deploying a fleet of 40 buses in Sydney to mark its expansion into the city, having provided services at Melbourne Airport since 1978. The company also operates at Avalon Airport, Adelaide Airport, Hobart Airport and Auckland Airport.
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The five-year ground transportation contract, which began on Monday and will support the airport’s expansion plans, will see the buses transition to fully electric over the course of the agreement.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Sydney Airport through our established SkyBus brand, which has built a strong reputation across Australia for specialised airport bussing services,” said Kinetic’s managing director (Australia), Matthew Campbell.
“SkyBus has earned a reputation for operational excellence at major airports, and we’re bringing that same specialised expertise to both airside and landside services at Sydney Airport.
“Our airside bussing services in particular will play an important role in supporting Sydney Airport’s expansion plans, ensuring passengers and airport operations are seamlessly connected as demand continues to grow.
“As the regional leader in bus electrification, we share Sydney Airport’s strong commitment to sustainability and look forward to working closely with them to bring more zero-emission buses to the precinct.”
Leanne Geraghty, Sydney Airport’s general manager of passenger experience, said part of the goal is to ensure passengers can “move effortlessly through the airport”.
“Partnering with SkyBus will allow us to deliver efficient transport services across the precinct, while also supporting our transition to a fully electric fleet,” she said.
“This means passengers can look forward to smoother connections today, and a more sustainable journey into the future.”
In Melbourne, SkyBus is adding two more services this year and has pledged to switch to an all-electric bus fleet by 2031.
The “Eastern Express” service, which launched on 31 August, connects the airport with Box Hill Central via Watsonia and Doncaster, while the “Sunshine Express”, starting 9 November, will connect the airport directly with Brimbank for the first time.
They join the Melbourne City Express to Southern Cross Station and the Peninsula Express to St Kilda and Frankston, with SkyBus having recently signed a new contract with the Victorian government to continue operating at Melbourne Airport until 2034.
The expansion of the Melbourne SkyBus contract, including new provision of airside services, comes as the airport’s long-delayed rail link looks to be finally seeing some movement, with a memorandum of understanding signed between the airport and the state and federal governments in March.
