Auckland Airport’s airfield expansion project marks the next critical phase of an infrastructure development program designed to revitalize the airport over the next decade.
The airfield development is the first of eight major infrastructure projects that Auckland Airport will undertake in the next decade and follows the completion of major upgrades to the international terminal over the last four years.
The eight anchor projects are the foundation of an overall program of work Auckland Airport is undertaking to develop transportation, airfield and terminal infrastructure. Among them are a new international arrivals area; rejuvenation of the existing domestic terminal; and a new domestic jet terminal. The program also includes reconfiguration of the international forecourt drop-off and pick-up facility, and further development of the road network north of the terminals.
This, the initial stage, will involve the conversion over the next three years of more than 250,000m² (2,690,000ft²) of land into new airfield space at the western end of the airport, beside the international terminal. This will increase the airfield surface area by more than 18%.
This stage will deliver an additional taxiway, the extension of an existing taxiway and the development of six remote stands for the parking and servicing of aircraft. The new airfield will be large enough able to accommodate the world’s largest passenger planes. Earthworks are expected to begin 2019 and be completed by late 2021.
“This is the beginning of a series of truly transformational projects at Auckland Airport,” said André Lovatt, Auckland Airport’s general manager, airport development and delivery. “The complete development program of work we are embarking on will yield some really great benefits and enable us to accommodate the 40 million passengers and 260,000 flights that are expected by 2044.”