Canberra Airport Terminal Upgrades

[Todd Milton]

Originally Posted by The Canberra Times

Qantas spends $20m on ACT terminal
BY JOHN THISTLETON, BUSINESS EDITOR
10 May, 2010 06:18 AM
Qantas will spend $20 million on passenger facilities at Canberra Airport, including three new lounges as big as the airline's lounges at Sydney's domestic terminal.

The new passenger facilities will be incorporated into a $350million terminal upgrade now well under way which involves demolishing the existing airport terminal and constructing a new one four times bigger.

Coinciding with the opening in September of a new multi-user terminal in stage one of the project, Qantas will provide additional check-in facilities, increased lounge capacity, new business facilities and fast access to gates, providing speed and ease for passengers.

Qantas will occupy the entire top level of the new southern concourse section of the airport with a chairman's lounge, domestic business lounge and Qantas Club lounge. The new facilities will have views of the airfield and back towards Parliament House.

A new Virgin lounge will open in 2012.

The Qantas chairman's lounge will have showers, private work suites, a library, barista and food and beverage area while the domestic business lounge will have private work desks with business facilities, complimentary wireless internet, and increased bathroom facilities and shower access.

The Qantas Club lounge will have more bathroom facilities and shower access and wireless internet.

For more on this story, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...l/1824962.aspx


Not overly much to say, as nothing notable has really happened!

*Roadworks surrounding the airport have been completed
*Work has started on the bi-level roadway for arrivals and departures
*Scaffolding is being slowly removed from the carpark and terminal, the sides facing the current terminal building are now clear as the facade is being completed (On the carpark atleast)

Other than that looking inside the building it is progressing well. Glass is in place on what will be the departures hall, escalators are in, looks as though it will be ready soon for internal work (If not already commenced). Had a look while wandering through the multi-storey carpark looking for lost wheelchairs.


The south wing, showing the temporary wall where the Western wing will connect with the building


The Carpark and current Terminal road, which has been shortened twice to its current position just at the edge of the current terminal building


The Airliner has been moved from the drop off zone to the Bus Zone from the Taxi rank, and now has a nice new Bollard sign signifying its new location


One of the 'Billboards' displaying Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow along Fairbairn Avenue


The new Australian Air Express freight centre


The terminal approach roads under construction aswell as the new Carpark


A View of the completed Fairbairn Avenue overpass and access roads to the Airport

[Craig W]

I thought I would bump this thread with a question for those in the know. Has an opening date for the first half of the new terminal been confirmed yet? I've looked at the Canberra Airport website and there is no information other than a broad August/Sept opening and the live webcam, which is showing that the new elevated roadway is being built but no progress on the terminal building can be seen because of the temporary wall.

I spoke to the front desk attendent at the Qantas Club on my last trip at the end of May and she said that they had done a tour of the new terminal and the new Qantas Club and Business Lounge were bigger and better than the existing facilities.

[Ash W]

Cannot answer your question, but this website has some pictures of the inside.


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...349537&page=15

[Craig W]

Thanks Ash, those photos give a good indication that the planned August/Sept opening date is a bit optimistic but are also good to see how the new terminal will look when completed.

[Steve Jones]

I came across this cool youtube clip of the aerobridge installation at CBR:

http://www.youtube.com/user/canairport?feature=mhum

[Kim F]

The last I heard was an October openning of the terminal building but October is running out of days. I have heard that the building itself may be ready but the elevated road still needs work. There was something in the Canberra Times recently that the Qantas Club will be the second biggest in Australia. Has anyone heard anything to confirm that ?

[Kim F]

Terminal opening 7 November !

[Todd Milton]

I will believe the opening date when I am sitting behind the desk checking people in, and driving the new aerobridges Took a drive on sunday and looked at the airside area of the terminal and they had quite a few working in all areas trying to get it ready. The Tarmac was being scrubbed to lay down bay markings, seats were piled up in the gate lounges, people working on electricals in the aerobridges. Went for a walk up into the Admin section of the carpark, which is some very nice office space. Currently only the Australian Rail Association has moved in.

[Rod Sloan]

Nov 14th opening now.

[Craig W]

The first stage of the new terminal opened yesterday, together with the new grade-separated departures and arrivals road loop. My father had a short notice trip to Melbourne this morning and I dropped him off. From what I could see the new terminal looks good. I'll be able to get some user impressions from my father when he returns tomorrow. He also was going to use the new Qantas Club lounge.