Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has unveiled plans to build a new and massive airport terminal in North Brisbane, permanently closing the existing international terminal to merge all domestic and international travels into a single billion-dollar facility.
The new L-shaped terminal, to be set on a 250,000 square meter area, will be built parallel to the recently opened runway that will connect to the domestic terminal. The facility will have a sustainable green building with modern features, including retail options and self-service operations.
However, the new terminal’s design will still be finalised by the Brisbane Airport Development and Design Integrity Panel following community consultation. BAC aims to complete the terminal’s construction in 2032 but the timeline may be pushed forward once Brisbane has been made officially confirmed as the host of the 2032 Olympic Games, per Michael Jarvis, the head of planning at the BAC.
Mr Jarvis said that the Brisbane Airport Master Plan, approved by the Australian Government in March 2020, will open direct international routes, further connecting Brisbane to the world. He added that the project is something that airlines, especially Australia-based airlines, have been asking for.
The master plan also includes a potential monorail loop that will connect to the buildings to make it easier for people to get around. This mass transit system will replace the buses that service the passengers and staff as it will not be enough if the airport reaches 50 million passengers a year.
Brisbane currently runs the third busiest airport in Australia with the second runway completed in July 2020. Its facilities are comparable to some of the busiest international airports, such as the Singapore Changi Airport and Hong Kong International Airport.
Paul Coughlan, the head of infrastructure development said that the plans are in line with the country’s policies to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19 and as air travel rebounds from the pandemic.