AUSTRALIA. Perth Airport has revealed its plans for the future of aviation in Western Australia, presenting the much-anticipated ‘one airport’ concept for travellers in the state.
The A$5 billion investment programme – the largest private infrastructure development in Perth – will integrate all flights into the Airport Central precinct. The project will also feature a new parallel runway, terminal facilities, two multi-storey carparks with associated roadworks, an upgrade of Terminal 2 and the airport’s first hotel.
The proposal’s fly-through animation provides a visual representation of the scale of the planned development.
Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters said: “We will be completely changing the face of Perth Airport over the next decade. We will have a world-class airport experience for travellers while delivering the capacity and efficiency our airline partners need to grow their connections into Western Australia.
“We want the new terminal facilities to reflect the confidence and character of Western Australia. This will be the first welcome to our state for millions of visitors each year and we want to make a lasting first impression.
“We know that one of the things that confuses the public the most is which terminal or which part of the airport they should be heading to. Bringing everything into one precinct will create ‘one airport’ for all flights. This will make the whole experience more intuitive and simpler.”
Waters also highlighted the development’s impact, boosting regional tourism and enhancing connections between international, interstate and regional flights.
He noted the strong travel demand last year, with a record 16 million passengers, and emphasised their goal of reaching 20 million passengers per year in the next decade.
Waters continued: “There will be some pain along the way as have to build most of these projects in a live and increasingly busy airport environment. But we’ll be sequencing the construction works and placing a strong focus on minimising disruption for our passengers and our airline partners.
“The animation shows Western Australians that the end result will be amazing and something our state will be incredibly proud of.”
The terminal facilities will be also designed to respond to the various traveller needs and demands.
Waters added: “Travellers want their airport experience to be as smooth as possible, from arriving at the airport, to moving through check-in and security, to waiting for their flight to board.
“Many travellers want to feel the buzz of the excitement of a journey about to begin. Some will be looking for a range of quality, affordable food & beverage or retail outlets. Others will be looking for more quiet, reflective areas to help lower the stress levels.
“We’ve got an amazing opportunity here to build in up-front measures to cater for passengers of all abilities and remove the barriers to travel that some people experience.
“We’ll also be ensuring both the construction and operations of the new facilities will be sustainable and environmentally responsible. This will include measures to reduce water and energy use, and to also reduce the amount of waste generated.”
Waters confirmed that transformation work at Perth Airport is already underway, marking a “great start” to what he described as a once-in-a-generation build.
Construction has commenced on the multi-storey carpark, and works are underway in T2 to add more departure gates and seating.
The project will also include the addition of more car parks and upgrades to the road network around T2 to enhance traffic flow along the forecourt.
Waters said: “We’ve partnered with Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, to operate the first hotel on the airport estate under the Pullman Hotels & Resorts brand.
“Design discussions with our airline partners are underway on the expanded international terminal and the new domestic terminal. And detailed design on the runway has been completed with construction works due to begin in the New Year.
“Along with the construction activity, our team along with the state government will continue to work on attracting more interstate and international routes which will further support our important tourism, resource and export sectors.” ✈
