Adelaide Airport has officially kicked off an AUD 165 million project to expand its passenger terminal and improve facilities for international passengers. The construction works got under way in August 2018 when the airport’s Managing Director Mark Young turned the first ceremonial sod. The project was first announced in June and is due for completion in 2021. International traffic at ADL has increased significantly in the past year or so, following the start of services by Qatar Airways to Doha (in 2016), China Southern (to Guangzhou in 2016 and Fiji Airways (to Nadi in 2017). Air New Zealand, which began flying between Adelaide and Auckland in 2017, has been upgauging some services from Airbus A320s to Boeing 787-9s. The number of international passengers has tripled since the new international terminal was opened in 2005 and reached 952,000 in the 2016/17 financial year. It topped one million in the twelve months to 30 June 2018, an improvement of 5.5%. Total passenger numbers reached 8.1 million in 2017/18. Young said the expansion project, being undertaken by Watpac Construction, was aimed particularly at improving facilities, and the passenger experience. The project would increase the terminal space by 16,500 m², including an additional 7,257 m² of retail space to boost shopping and dining opportunities for passengers. In the international precinct, departing passengers would gain more retail and dining space, as well as an expanded duty-free shopping area. There would also be larger immigration and security screening areas, which are being relocated from Level 2 (check-in) to Level 1 – the present arrivals area – where a second baggage belt would be installed, and the work included new VIP facilities for international departures and arrivals, and a common-user premium departure lounge for international passengers. Under the changes, Gate 18 will become a dedicated international gate, but Adelaide Airport planned to continue the use of swing gates able to be used for both international and domestic flights depending on demand. The terminal has six of these gates at present, including two for international narrow-body aircraft. Young said the project would enable the airport to attract new international airlines to Adelaide, with a direct service from the U.S. West Coast still the priority and cater for additional flights by carriers already serving the South Australian capital. After discussions with airlines, ADL has put on hold earlier plans to move the international area to the northern end of the terminal and build three new gates at the back of a widened pier, although the proposal remains in the airport’s development plan and was likely to happen in due course. #1086.24