Gold Coast airport begins A$100m redevelopment

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The location’s duty-free area will grow by 30% after the new terminal extension, due to be completed in March 2010

Australia’s Gold Coast airport has begun a A$100m ($87.3m) terminal redevelopment project which will see the duty-free area expanded by 30%. The redevelopment will more than double the current terminal space to 28,742 sq m (309,376 sq ft), and the expanded terminal will operate international and domestic flights. The airport handled over 4.2m passengers in the 2007/08 financial year.

Gold Coast airport COO Paul Donovan said: ““When finished, our terminal will be the largest purpose-built facility specifically designed to cater for low-cost airlines and their passengers in Australia. Our focus is to ensure the terminal operation is fast and efficient for airlines and their passengers by taking a common user approach with one main check-in area for all airlines with self-service kiosks, a single baggage collection and screening point, and one main departures and arrivals area.”

The airport’s statement added that it would offer a “very targeted mix of retail and food and beverage based on three years of passenger research”. Retail outlets will include gifts and accessories, surfwear, lifestyle and confectionary shops.

The terminal redevelopment is scheduled to be completed by March 2010. The airport appointed ADCO Constructions as the principal design and construction contractor for the project last October. The expansion is fully funded by Gold Coast Airport Pty Limited and its shareholder Queensland Airports Limited.