Airport operator Kansai Airports has opened the new international departure area at Terminal 1 of Kansai International Airport (KIX) as part of the Terminal 1 renovation.
According to the airport, passengers can go through the passport control process more smoothly as the new area features a centralized immigration zone, which used to be split between the north and south of the terminal. The new area has a walk-through duty-free shop, the central plaza area and four ‘mood areas’ with 27 stores. The mood areas reportedly offer customers four different atmospheres, and they can choose where to go next based on their mood. These stores include nine food and beverage offerings, seven retail outlets, one duty-free shop, nine boutiques and one other service area.
To celebrate the opening, a tape-cutting ceremony was held with the stakeholders of KIX, including Yoshiyuki Yamaya and Benoit Rulleau, representative directors and co-CEOs of Kansai Airports.
In the spring of 2025, the airport will host a grand opening event to celebrate the completion of the majority of the renewed terminal. KIX will then expand the new international commercial area in the autumn of 2026.
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