​Queensland Tourism Operator CairnsAirportShuttle.net is today announcing a $10 surcharge per American for all Americans travelling on our shuttles between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas.

The surcharge will apply from 2 April 2025.  (3 April 2025: The $10 surcharge has been paused for 90 days). 

Donald Trump is superstitious and does not want to commence new reciprocal tariffs on 1 April because they would make him look like a fool. CairnsAirportShuttle.net is super appreciative of this strong leadership and so we will also follow the guidance of this strong man.

Americans will be required to answer a simple yes no question: Do you have American Citizenship? If the answer is no then no $10 surcharge. If the answer is yes a $10 surcharge will apply.

We have sought legal advice and understand that this decision by CairnsAirportShuttle.net does not breach any test of reasonableness or that the charge is discriminatory.

This is instead a special measure for the purposes of s 8 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)* to help Americans who are disadvantaged by having Donald Trump as their President. The special measure will also include a free advice about how to handle local Australian wildlife. ie Don’t do it!

We do love our American friends and suggest, as President Trump does, that if they wish to avoid paying the new $10 surcharge on transfers between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas they can come and live in Australia!

END

* Prime Minister John Howard used this same ‘special measure’ legal basis during the Northern Territory in 2007. CairnsAirportShuttle.net understands that the $10 fee does fly against convention, but in March 2025 there seems no place that established conventions or contractual agreements actually apply to anything to do with the USA. CairnsAirportShuttle.net will shortly establish a charity to fully comply with S 8 RDA requirements. 

Every year we encourage travellers to either stay in Port Douglas until the day after, or go to Cairns the day before, this annual event. We can provide limited services only during the closure.

The annual Cairns Ironman road closure between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas is with us again. Uniquely sponsored by Cairns Airport the Cairns Ironman closes the Captain Cook Highway for 12 hours on 15 June 2025 while planes continue to land as usual at Cairns Airport.

We're not sure why Cairns Airport sponsors this race AND also doesn't tell any of its thousands of customers about the race before hand. Instead the duty to try and inform visitors to our region falls to shuttle transfer services like CairnsAirportShuttle.net. We appreciate this unique situation raises eyebrows amongst travellers to our region expecting to transit directly to their holiday in Port Douglas, and only becoming aware of the closure when going to book transfers 😉

Our travel options on Sunday 15 June 2025 can be booked here and offer:

• Departing Port Douglas: 
  03:45am (Direct to Cairns Airport 1.15 hours) and
  10:00am (Inland via Kuranda 2.5 hours approx)
  
• Departing Cairns Airport: 
  1:00pm (Via Kuranda 2.5 hours approx) and
  5:30pm (Direct to Port Douglas 1.15 hour approx:) 
  
  
• The primary purpose of this post is to encourage anyone travelling on 15 June 2025 to ideally avoid travel on the day and make arrangements to minimise the impact of the road closure, and maximise your holiday time 🌴😎