Newcastle opens new terminal extension

Print Article E-Mail Article

3,000sq m (32,280sq ft) of extra space caters for rapid passenger growth and spells good news for Alpha Retail and other vendors

Newcastle International airport has officially opened its £7m ($13m) terminal extension, providing an additional 3,000sq m (32,280sq ft) of space for retailers and doubling the size of the departure lounge.

The extension incorporates a new 620sq m (6,690sq ft) duty-free store operated by Alpha Retail, which opened last month, a Dixons Tax Free outlet and a number of travel-retail units from high street vendors including Tie Rack, Boots, Redland and WH Smith.

An internet lounge with wireless broadband internet access for laptop users has been included, which Newcastle International claims is the largest of its kind at any UK airport.  

Other additions include a range of new catering facilities, a children's entertainment area and a beauty lounge offering tanning booths, massages and other treatments.

The terminal has been extended to cater for strong passenger growth. The airport expects annual traffic to exceed 5m for the first time by the end of 2004 and to reach 10m by 2016.

Alpha Retail has refurbished its older 330sq m (3,561sq ft) unit and hopes to open a third store later this summer. The company won the duty-free tender for the airport in January this year.