AUSTRIA. Vienna Airport began intensive construction this week on its Southern Terminal Expansion, which will come into operation in 2027.
As part of the €420 million investment, the airport will expand its shopping and restaurant space by +50% to more than 30,000sq m.
As reported, some 30 additional retail and dining outlets will come into play covering around 10,000sq m. This will house renowned Austrian and international brands to create “an extensive and diversified retail and food & beverage offering for passengers”.
Vienna Airport said that “tenant acquisition efforts are already in full swing and are being implemented with digital support. In a virtual 3D tour, interested parties can explore the building’s interior areas and possible commercial space, take a closer look at passenger flows and leisure areas, and get a realistic impression of the entire terminal environment”.
The Southern Expansion will feature an updated lounge offer. Alongside the new Austrian Airlines Lounge across 4,000sq m, a Vienna Airport lounge featuring an additional 2,000sq m will open, characterised by elements, colours and textures of Viennese ‘Art Nouveau’.
Vienna Airport said that “the flair of Austrian and Viennese elegance will be perceptible and palpable in the new airport lounge and the entire Southern Expansion. Accordingly, local and international passengers will not be confronted with a sterile terminal building but a modern, high-quality and exclusive terminal environment with charm and a local flavour linking passengers to the destination of Vienna”.
Flughafen Wien Joint Member of the Management Board Julian Jäger said: “Our airport is growing, passenger volume is increasing, and we are continuously among the best globally in terms of our service quality. Now we are also upgrading our terminal infrastructure to be top-notch internationally.
“Thanks to the new Southern Expansion project, we are laying the groundwork for Vienna Airport to join the ranks of the top airports and achieve 5-Star status. In the future, our passengers will experience a substantial improvement of the quality of their stay in a new terminal environment thanks to a considerable enlargement of the shopping and restaurant offering featuring renowned Austrian and international premium brands.
“There will be new and exclusive lounges, large and comfortable leisure areas, new centralised and state-of-the-art security controls, and better transfer connections for transfer passengers between all terminal areas. And all of this will take place in an exclusive and high-quality terminal environment making Austrian and Viennese elegance perceptible and palpable in a charming way. The Southern Expansion enables us to set new benchmarks in quality and ensure a comfortable stay.”
Preparation work on the Southern Terminal Expansion has been underway since July 2023. To mark the latest phase, on 14 February, a ceremony was held with the participation of Governor of Lower Austria Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Mayor and Governor of Vienna Michael Ludwig, along with members of the Management Board Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner. ✈
