Brisbane私营列车运营商Airtrain向Queensland最高法院提起诉讼，要求州政府赔偿因实施50¢公共交通票价政策导致的收入损失。[1]Airtrain母公司USS Axle声称被欠475万澳元的收入调整款。[1]该50¢票价政策自2025年2月10日起生效，虽然机场站点获得豁免，但连接郊区和黄金海岸的线路票价大幅下降，导致Airtrain通行乘客总票价收入大幅下滑。[1]双方谈判未果后，Airtrain最终诉诸法律途径。[1]
Airtrain首席执行官Chris Basche指出，尽管面临票价政策压力，公司客运量同比增长5%，创下纪录。[1]从中心站到机场的单程票价目前为$22.30。[1]该8.5公里列车线路于2001年竣工，初期建设成本约2亿澳元（以当今价值计为约3.8亿澳元）。[1]值得注意的是，Airtrain在疫情期间累计运营亏损约3000万澳元。[1]
根据特许协议条款，Airtrain的合约期限至2036年，届时所有资产将转入公众所有。[1]USS Axle是英国养老基金Universities Superannuation Scheme的子公司，于2013年收购了Airtrain。[1]
Brisbane's private train operator Airtrain has filed suit against the Queensland government, claiming compensation for revenue losses stemming from the state's implementation of a 50-cent public transport fare cap.[1] The operator's parent company USS Axle asserts it is owed AUD $4.75 million in revenue adjustment payments following the policy's introduction on February 10, 2025.[1]
While airport stations were exempted from the fare reduction, services connecting suburban areas and the Gold Coast experienced significant price decreases, substantially eroding Airtrain's ticket revenue from passengers.[1] The company's current single journey fare from Central Station to the airport stands at AUD $22.30.[1] Despite the revenue impact, Airtrain Chief Executive Chris Basche reported that passenger numbers grew 5 percent year-on-year, reaching record levels.[1] Negotiations between the parties proved unsuccessful, prompting Airtrain to escalate the matter to Queensland's Supreme Court.[1]
The 8.5-kilometer rail line, which began operations in 2001 at an original cost of approximately AUD $200 million (equivalent to roughly AUD $380 million in today's dollars), continues to operate under a concession agreement extending to 2036, after which assets will transfer to public ownership.[1] Airtrain accumulated operational losses of approximately AUD $30 million during the pandemic period.[1] USS Axle, a subsidiary of the British pension fund Universities Superannuation Scheme, acquired Airtrain in 2013.[1]