The airport has decided to extend safety areas on the east-west runway by 90 metres. The work is expected to take about 18 months.

International aviation safety standards require larger safety areas in areas where aircraft overrun the runway.

But the association says it also wants crushable concrete installed at the end of the runway.

Association general manager Peter Sommerville says while the corporation's plan meets safety standards, it is a penny pinching decision.

"The cost of the upgrade that pilots propose works out to about 16 cents a passenger in any one year," he said.

"To take us up to that higher standard, what we would say is Australian standard, rather than an international minimum standard, the small cost is justified."

In a statement, a spokesman for Sydney Airport says the corporation will be considering all submissions as part of the formal MDP consultation process.

"Australia's air safety regulations are set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), not by the airport nor the pilot's association," the statement said.

"Our job as an airport is to ensure that we comply with CASA's national aviation safety regulations. The runway end safety areas provided at Sydney Airport's three runways will all meet CASA's stringent aviation safety requirements.

"Sydney Airport has an excellent safety record and is committed to maintaining it. Any suggestion to the contrary is totally rejected. "

The airport traffic that uses the runway will be transferred to the north-south landing strips during the upgrade.

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SOURCE | ABC News