$250 million for new airport terminal

Started by Sir Pompously, December 07, 2007, 11:36:39 PM

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Sir Pompously

About bloody time!


Quote

$250m for new airport terminal

John Thistleton

Canberra International Airport is to spend $250 million on a new multi-user terminal, twice the size of the existing one and to be operational by 2010.
In the biggest development in the airport's 81-year history, the three-storey terminal's check-in counters will double from 16 to 32, six aerobridges will replace the current four and there will be 2500 car-parking spaces, an increase of 1600.
The expanded terminal will handle larger passenger numbers arriving in bigger jets at higher frequency rates.
Customs, immigration and quarantine inspection facilities will be installed for direct trans- Tasman and South-East Asian flights.
The club lounge will quadruple to 6000sqm and the baggage belt capacity will treble.
With the arrival in February of more Virgin Blue flights to Sydney and low-cost carrier Tiger Airways, the airport says at least 100 more taxis will be needed and more three-star hotels in the city to cater for the expected surge in passengers.
Facing intense competition from Virgin on the lucrative Sydney-Canberra business route, Qantas announced yesterday it would spend $10 million on more immediate improvements to its domestic terminal, including a new business lounge to be built late next year.
Qantas's ACT regional manager Allan Williams said a toilet block would be knocked down to create more space in the check-in area, an additional security lane would be installed for peak times, and outbound and inbound passenger flows would be reversed to streamline passenger movements.
"It's true to say we have lagged behind other cities a little, but we're in catch-up mode well and truly," he said.
Qantas is installing an extra aerobridge to cope with a new flight schedule next year. Five aircraft will arrive at nights for earlier departures, free of fog restrictions. (Aircraft can depart in fog but can't land in it).
Airport managing director Stephen Byron said the new terminal would be the greenest and grandest in Australia.
Cutting edge equipment would heat and cool the terminal, making it 75 per cent more energy efficient.
ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the massive investment would reinvigorate the aerial gateway into Canberra in time for the city's centenary in 2013.
The investment was a sure vote of confidence in the ACT economy and tourist and business potential.
The airport completed $50 million in works last year to strengthen and lengthen the runway to 600m but has been under growing scrutiny for the amount of non-aeronautical developments including a discount factory outlet and offices.
Airport owner Terry Snow said these were needed to get financiers to fund the terminal. His family's money was also being invested in the project, he said.
Negotiations had taken longer than expected because the airlines were not entirely focused on Canberra having a new terminal.
"We recognised the need for a new terminal five years ago and it has taken that long to negotiate with these people."
Mr Byron said planning a new terminal began more than nine years ago when the family paid $65 million for the airport and pledged to spend another $30 million over 10 years on improvements.
Mr Snow said it had taken a long time time negotiating with the ACT Government to upgrade the roads around the airport.
About $45 million is expected to be spent over the next few years on improvements, including $12.4 million on a four-lane highway on Pialligo Avenue, of which the airport will spend $4.9 million.
Mr Byron said Qantas, Virgin and Tiger would use the terminal in the short term and airlines such as Singapore, United Arab Emirates and China Southern would come over the next five to 10 years.
"Our job is to build the infrastructure. The airlines will decide at a time of their choosing when they commercially commence those routes.
"But it is my strong belief, when you look at a city like Adelaide which has 212 times our population and double our passengers, that city has 28 international flights per week.
"While I don't think we will have that many it gives you an indication it will allow us to have five to 10 flights initially per week after the infrastructure is in place."
Canberra architects Guida Moseley Brown will design the new terminal after consultations with the Australian Federal Police, security agencies and tourist groups.
Construction Control will project-manage the work while the airport continues operating for 18 hours a day.
Work will start in July beginning at the cafeteria and the freight sheds on the airport's southern concourse.
The first stage is due to be completed in 2009.
Mr Byron said 700 people would work on construction, and terminal staff would grow from 300 to 500 after it was built. The airport had increased passengers by 47 per cent in under a decade while the number of taxis had grown by 13 per cent and more were needed.

Source - http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/250m-for-new-airport-terminal/1100459.html

Irisbus Rider

Cool. I guess the first step to making Canberra a bit more of a local transport hub in the area.

Mitch

I second that motion Todd! It's disgusting it took this long! Look at adelaides new sexy airport for example, and they dont have a big population or anything, but its just that they do have the infastructure in place which can deal with the swelling tourism industry and if u have a place that people can get to relatively easy, people go there. The population certainly isnt getting smaller and of course, more people = increased people travelling, well im not an expert (as much as i like to believe) but I would think that this strange phenominon occurs anyway! I dont know why the ACT Stanhope Government hasnt done anything sooner. With airtravel cheap as chips, why not take advantage of the increased demand for travel and increase the spending going towards one of australias largest industries, TOURISM! Which bring in, according to the Department of Industry and the Department of Energy Resources and Tourism is worth $81 Billion! Grrr makes me angry that the ACT hasnt got its acto together sooner and taken advantage of this!

I think i need a nice soothing bath!

Sir Pompously

Quote from: MitchGrrr makes me angry that the ACT hasnt got its acto together sooner and taken advantage of this!

Quote from: The Canberra TimesNegotiations had taken longer than expected because the airlines were not entirely focused on Canberra having a new terminal.
"We recognised the need for a new terminal five years ago and it has taken that long to negotiate with these people."
Mr Byron said planning a new terminal began more than nine years ago when the family paid $65 million for the airport and pledged to spend another $30 million over 10 years on improvements.

I don't really see much of it as the Governments fault, they are pretty pissed off because of the immunity Canberra Airport has from the planning authroities,ie they can basically do anything they wantand ACT PLA cannot do a single thing about it, as it was under their contract from the Federal Government that they do not have to comply with local planning (Or something along those lines). But as the article states, the airlines play a big part. They do not really want to invest in Canberra. And it seems they are being forced too by Canberra Airport. But we have a growing market, and those terminals (Especially the Qantas terminal) is horrible during peak periods as there are many flights coming and going, and only a small space to put the people travelling on them.

joshula

some asia airline want to fly to Canberra Airport

Tiger Airline

Busnerd



Busnerd

Well Duh, have you not seen any of their promo shoots?

I cant remember what country they are from initially but im sure todd can say

Sir Pompously

Tiger are Singaporian and are a joint alliance between Ryanair of Ireland and Singapore Airlines.

And Simon, this is a thread about airport terminal upgrades, the introduction of Tiger is not apart of the upgrades and is not an influence also it has been well known since late last year that Tiger would be flying here.


Irisbus Rider

Ah, Asian, ok thanks.

Hey, this coming from a non-plunzel, ha ha, I'm sure you understand.