Airport Expands to Accommodate Growth

The 4,100sq m expansion features two new gate lounges, a new Customs processing area, expanded airside retail outlets, a third-baggage carousel and back-of-house handling. A new mezzanine floor had been built to allow for future developments such as gate lounges, retail space and air bridges.

Over the past few weeks the airport operations team, border protection agencies and airlines have been transitioning to the new terminal. By mid-July Customs Inspection and MPI Biosecurity processing teams will also be there.

In a statement released yesterday Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Scott Paterson said the new facility was a "top-class facility in a world renowned destination" and had "strengthened our position as a key regional and international gateway for New Zealand."

The airport welcomes 1.38 million visitors a year and international passenger volumes have grown from 24,000 in 2005 to 381,000 in 2015. In ten years' time international passenger numbers are expected to increase to more than 660,000.

Paterson said the new space created had put the airport ahead of the curve in terms of accommodation existing and future passenger volumes. "It's been a constant battle as our infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with huge year-on-year passenger growth so this time we are very fortunate to have strong support from our airline users to build a bigger shell for future expansion."

The Dominion Post, published 26th June 2015