iscover
Brisbane Airport has cut the ribbon on its upgraded international terminal which features a new departures lounge, increased signage, more shops and, importantly for aviation enthusiasts, improved views of the airfield.
The terminal was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss on Wednesday.
Brisbane Airport chief executive Julieanne Alroe said the 18-month, $45 million redevelopment work was completed on time and on budget without any disruption to passengers or operations.
“Everyone associated with the project from the architects and designers, contractors, retailers, project managers, operations team and tenants are to be commended. Not one detail has been overlooked and the result is outstanding,” Alroe said in a statement.
The terminal has been recognised by Queensland Property Council with an excellence in design award, Brisbane Airport said.
While the major terminal work has been completed, there is still ongoing building activity in the international terminal, with new Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines lounges due to be completed in early 2016. The airport is also feature a new pay-in lounge and day spa facility to be operated by Plaza Premium.
“This really is an exceptionally exciting growth phase for Brisbane Airport and these ongoing improvements will enable us to accommodate more passengers, offer a wider choice of routes and carriers and make greater economic contributions to our city and state,” Alroe said.
There is now 4,600 square metres of additional floor space in the international terminal following the redevelopment, which was mostly carried out late at night or during off-peak periods to ensure minimal disruption to passengers that passed through the facility over the 18-month construction period.
Mike
says:Does this mean getting through passport checks and quarantine will now be faster? Oh, of course not. Brisbane on a quiet day is slower than Heathrow on a busy day.
Craigy
says:Heathrow is a nightmare if you arrive at the same times flights from Jamaica, Nigeria and the sub-continent.
Mark
says:Travel through BNE regularly and always through within 30-45min, don’t know what you are on about Mike. Best international terminal in the country.
Paul
says:Beats Tullamarine..
Tony
says:I landed at bne international on Monday. It was a complete disgrace. Cannot understand how bne ever was ranked highly. They know long haul flights arrive together early morning but never provide sufficient resources to cope. An Indian national next to me in the queue compared bne badly with his own poor airports. The snaking queue in a low ceiling cramped space with staff shouting misleading instructions is a nightmare. Having departed Singapore the contrast was appalling.
Thomas
says:BACL should be ashamed of themselves as this almost the worst terminal in the country.
It all started back the day the terminal very first opened, they ran out of parking gates for arriving flights Day One!!! Great Planning that was!! They’ve been playing catch up ever since and will never build for the future.
Currently at a morning when Qantas have three flights (LAX, SIN NRT) arriving before 7am coupled with Singapore, Korean, Virgin from LAX and Emirates with a 380 load from Dubai just to list a few, it’s a nightmare.
At the moment security staff hold passengers outside of the Duty Free area; which is a mess by itself with everybody having to transit this area whether they want to or not; and only then letting 50 passengers at a time through to join the throng on the inside where minimal staff and smart gates clear passengers.
Currently there are only three, yes ‘3’ self service kiosks for smart gate passports outside in the concourse area. I understand from a source in Border Force that they have more sitting in a warehouse but nobody wants to pay for the software upgrade.
Recently the contractor responsible for supplying the blank cards for use in the kiosks, supplied them with the magnetic strip in the wrong place; no one noticed until they kept being rejected!
As for the travellators in the front of the terminal, these are currently being upgraded because in the investigation as why a drunk fell over the railing, it was found that they ever so slightly too low. Nothing about the drunk that was loose on the travellator in the first place. These were closed at short notice without prior advice to airlines; needless to say it is causing huge delays with passengers and public unable to easily access the various levels of the terminal.
And BACL keep patting themselves on the back! Why? How?
Eric
says:What are the details of the improved “viewing ” for aviation enthusiasts?
Would we ever see something similar to the magnificent open viewing terraces unimpeded by glass or wire that exist in places like Berlin and Zurich.? I suspect not, given the best Brisbane can offer is the small concrete slab (destined to be closed) at the Loop.
tony
says:OK Editor, given the comments by myself and Thomas, why not send a reporter and photographer to international arrivals early morning? Then publish a more accurate report rather than a biased press release from bne. BTW the views at departure level are reduced by moving bars and shops obscuring the previously accessible windows.
Taurean Lea
says:YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!