Richard Pearse Airport in Timaru, New Zealand, has officially opened its NZ$1m (US$697,000) terminal upgrade, which includes a new and larger baggage collection area; upgraded check-in desks; new seating, lighting and heating; more sockets and charging stations; and free wi-fi. Toilet upgrades will also be completed in the next few weeks.
The new terminal will support larger planes now being used to service the daily route from Timaru to Wellington, according to Timaru Mayor Damon Odey.
“With the move from a 19-seater plane service to having to support up to 50 passengers at once, it was becoming obvious that our tired old terminal needed an upgrade,” Odey said.
“For an increasing number of business and leisure travelers it is also the first impression they get when they visit our district, and it wasn’t a good one.
“So, we’ve worked hard to provide cleaner, more modern and comfortable surroundings with more options to plug in your laptop and get some work done with a coffee or just sit and admire the amazing alpine view.”
The airport in New Zealand’s South Island has also upgraded its parking lot, which is now fully sealed with clearly marked pathways and full stormwater treatment in place.
With the completion of the project, a daily parking charge of NZ$5 (US$3.50) will be introduced in July for those parked for more than three hours.
“We considered the introduction of the parking charges carefully, we’ve set them at a level which enabled us to help fund the significant upgrade to the facilities, while still being affordable for travelers. In fact, where charges are made, it’s still the cheapest on-airport rate in the country,” said Odey.