While all major Australian airports were the subject of various complaints by air travelers, because of the sheer volume of passengers and planes it handles, Sydney Airport topped the list.

The premier gateway handled 35.6 million passengers in 2011. Forecasts estimate the number of passengers using Sydney Airport would rise to 78.9 million in 2029.

The sheer number alone is expected to cause more traveler complaints and add to the existing ones which include traffic congestion, high cost of parking and long lines at the gateway.

Due to the volume of passengers who enter Australia via Sydney, the federal government is studying the construction of a second gateway in the city. Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday cited the small size of the Sydney Airport as one of the reasons why the city lost to Brisbane in being the host of the 2014 G20 Summit.

She pointed to Brisbane Airport's flexibility as part of the plus factor for Brisbane's bid. The airport is the third largest in Australia and handled 20.6 million passengers in 2011. The number is predicted to go up to 33 million in 2020.

The frequent complaint of passengers at Brisbane Airport is the congestion in the pick-up and drop-off areas.

Melbourne Airport, the second largest, handled 28.9 million passengers in 2011. By 2020, the gateway is expected to see passenger numbers increase to 40 million. Similar to Sydney Airport's, the frequent complaint of Melbourne Airport passengers is the traffic congestion to and from the airport and the high cost of parking.

Despite the smaller number of travelers it handles at 7.3 million in 2011, passengers who fly in and out of Adelaide Airport complain of congestion at the drop-off point and distance between the regional airline delivery point and the gateway's terminal. By 2030, experts forecast Adelaide passengers would go up to 14.6 million.

In the case of Perth Airport, on top of the list of customer complaints were the long queues, long wait for taxis, overpopulated gates and small lounge area. About 11.5 million passengers used the Perth Airport in 2011 and their number is expected to expand to 28.8 million in 2030.

Some passengers almost missed their flights at Brisbane Airport because of the severe congestion at the drop-off area. Both at Melbourne and Sydney, the line of vehicles along the freeway leading to the two gateways are kilometers long, particularly the morning peak hours between 6 and 8 a.m.

The two-hour queue for taxis at the Perth Airport earned the gateway the dubious distinction of one of the world's 10 most hated airports in a CNNGO listing.

Exorbitant parking fee is another headache. According to a Productivity Commission report, long-term parking costs travelers up to $150 a week in Brisbane, $122 in Sydney, $88 in Perth and $77 in Melbourne.

Despite the complaints, Australian Airport Association Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie insisted that the country's major gateways are on par with their counterparts in other global cities. She said the airport operators continue to improve facilities by spending in the past 10 years $10 billion on new terminals, roads, runways, taxiway expansion and passenger facilities.

The rise in passenger numbers is also felt in smaller airports. The Newcastle Airport logged over 580,000 passengers in the last six months due to the introduction of extra services to Sydney and the North Coast.

While Newcastle Airport dreams of becoming an international gateway some day, the federal government ruled out Williamtown as the site for the second international airport in Sydney due to its military commitment.

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