Airport operator Fraport has confirmed its decision to build a third terminal at Frankfurt Airport in Germany with construction work starting in late 2015. The new terminal will be built in phases over a seven-year period with a completion date of 2022.
The decision comes after a comprehensive analysis of an audit study commissioned by the Hesse state government to assess the airport’s future capacity requirements. During a meeting on April 14, 2015, Fraport’s supervisory board also reconfirmed its decision to construct Terminal 3 (T3) in the southern part of the airport, after having thoroughly re-assessed all relevant traffic forecasts and expert studies regarding the new terminal.
Commissioned by Fraport in September 2014, the expert studies forecast that passenger volumes at Frankfurt Airport will rise to between 68 million and 73 million passengers by the year 2021, exceeding the airport’s current annual capacity of 64 million passengers.
In August 2014, Fraport attained planning permission for the construction of a main terminal building and two piers. These piers would contain 24 terminal docking positions after the first construction phase, and a total of 50 when fully complete. The plans showed that T3 would be linked to the existing terminals by expanding the airport’s baggage conveyor and SkyLine people-mover systems.
Dr Stefan Schulte, executive board chairman, Fraport, said, “We have thoroughly assessed and scrutinized all possible alternatives before deciding in favor of T3. We are very well aware of our responsibility to our shareholders, our customers, passengers and employees, as well as to the people living in the region.
“Frankfurt Airport is Germany’s largest place of employment and serves as the gateway to the world for the state of Hesse and Germany as a whole. The
new T3 will underscore this role and thus further strengthen our region. To accommodate the forecast traffic growth, it is now necessary to commence construction for the third terminal during the current year.”
Dr Matthias Zieschang, CFO, Fraport, said, “With an investment volume of between €2.5bn (US$2.7bn) and €3bn (US$3.2bn), T3 will be one of Germany’s largest infrastructure projects. Refraining from using a single general contractor for the entire terminal construction, Fraport will instead award multiple contracts to various companies performing specific tasks related to the project.
“This method already proved successful with the new Pier A-Plus at Terminal 1 that was inaugurated in 2012 on schedule and on budget. In addition, this method allows regional companies to offer their expertise and thus to benefit from the construction of the new terminal.”
To see further renderings of the new T3 project at Frankfurt Airport click here.