McConnell Dowell Group’s construction arm Built Environs has won the main construction contract for a $330 million expansion project at Perth Airport.
Built Environs will construct the new domestic ‘pier’ that will be home to Virgin Australia, and expand the international departures area at the western end of the existing international terminal.
The international component includes 18 new check-in desks, two aircraft gates with twin aerobridges capable of servicing A380 aircraft, and three new airline lounges.
“This project is one of four we now have underway to transform the international airport experience”, said Perth Airport chief executive Brad Geatches.
“This year, passengers will start to see big changes in the international travel experience.”
The second main component of the $330 million expansion project is Virgin’s new domestic ‘pier’, or terminal area.
It will include 22 check-in desks, three A380-capable aircraft gates and four conventional aircraft gates, a shopping area with nine stores and a Virgin lounge.
The project is scheduled for completion in June 2014.
Mr Geatches said the Virgin facilities will be “large, spacious and have been designed to provide an efficient and pleasant experience”.
The new Virgin terminal will be connected via walkways to the soon-to-open T2 domestic terminal, being built at a cost of $120 million. The T2 terminal will handle regional and fly-in, fly-out services for Alliance, Skywest and Tiger airlines.
Built Environs is already working at the airport, on construction of a new logistics yard to service the international terminal, the Virgin terminal and the T2 terminal.
The other major contractor to have won construction work at the airport is Broad. It is building the T2 terminal and undertaking first-stage works on the upgrade of the international arrivals area.
The airport is planning further steps, including a multi-storey car park and additions to the eastern end of the international terminal.
