Airport News
St. John’s International to double in size under US$243m expansion plans
St. John’s International Airport in Canada has announced a 10-year improvement and expansion plan that will double the size of its terminal building and improve facilities.
As part of the US$243m (£145m) investment, the airport’s terminal building, parking lots and roadways will be expanded to accommodate two million passengers annually by 2023.
The expansion will be conducted in two phases, with the east expansion commencing this summer and finishing by the end of 2017. The west expansion will follow, with a scheduled completion date of 2020.
The expansion project will result in the airport terminal building doubling in size to 35,950m² and will include a larger pre-board screening area; larger seating area in the Departures Lounge; six more gates and passenger loading bridges; more food, beverage and retail options in the Departures Lounge; and an expanded arrivals and customs area.
“We recognise the importance of our facility as the premier transportation gateway to the province, and its role in the economic development of our region. These planned investments are necessary to ensure that this important transportation infrastructure continues to meet the growing demands for travel in our community and our province,” said Neil Pittman, chair of St. John’s International Airport Authority’s Board of Directors.
As part of the plan, the airport will also undergo an Airport Accessibility and Safety Initiative to ensure the safety and operational integrity of the existing facilities such as rehabilitating taxiways, aprons, and runways.
“Our mandate as an airport authority is to provide a safe, cost-efficient transportation facility and to facilitate the economic growth of our region. The increased demand for both business and leisure travel is a direct result of our booming economy, and is placing growing pressure on our facilities. These infrastructure improvements will ensure that we will be able to accommodate the growing demand for passenger travel, and therefore continue to foster business and trade,” added Pittman.
In 2013, approximately 1.5 million passengers travelled through St. John’s Airport, the highest number ever recorded at the airport and by 2023, the forecasted number of passengers using the terminal is expected to reach two million annually. The terminal building was initially designed to accommodate just 900,000 passengers per year when it was constructed and opened in the 1940s.
