Domestic terminal rejig adds shops

A shopping hub will be built between Auckland Airport's two domestic terminals at a cost of between $17 million and $30 million.

The two domestic terminals are already joined by departure gates on the secure tarmac-side but a wider corridor will be built to house the shops linking the terminals.

The airport plans to move the terminals in the next 10 years but, in the meantime, public areas in the 12-gate Air New Zealand terminal will flow directly into the two-gate domestic Qantas terminal.

The airport said it had earmarked $17 million for the job but a contractor with knowledge of the project said the cost would be more like $30 million.

Car parking at the domestic terminal is also being boosted. Aspec Construction has begun building a $15 million four-level, 880-vehicle carpark opposite the Air New Zealand terminal. A tower crane is on-site alongside George Bolt Memorial Drive and ground works are about to start.

A large slice of the airport's income already comes from carparking and retail.

With passenger growth forecast to slow, the expansions fit the company's objectives to increase revenue from sources other than landing fees.

Colliers International retail broker Jessica Martin said shops would be keen to get a slice of the highly lucrative airport business where 329 domestic flights arrived daily.

"Retailers want to be where there's people and might pay up to $1000 a square metre for shops in a location like that," she said.

Souvenirs, mobile phone, beauty product, book, technology, food and services such as drycleaning would be just some of the retailers wanting a piece of the action, she said.

Within the next decade, the airport will move the domestic terminal to the northwest side of the international facilities. However, the existing domestic buildings will be upgraded in the meantime.

Airport chief executive Don Huse said that as the domestic terminal would not be moved for at least a decade it was important to revamp the existing buildings.

"Auckland Airport is working closely with airline partners and options being considered include a renovation of the Air New Zealand domestic terminal, changes to the Qantas domestic forecourt and a new retail precinct linking both terminals," he said.

But it was far too early in the planning process to release details of the changes.

Avis Preferred operates a car rental business between the two terminals but will shift its booth to the new carpark once that building is finished, later this year.

The domestic overhaul comes after the airport spent $75 million upgrading its international terminal departure deck and baggage screening system. 
 

A stressful contract

Modifying Auckland's domestic terminals while they continue operating provides a challenge for any building contractor lucky enough to win the job.

Extending or altering buildings that house important infrastructure provides the type of stimulation which adds even more stress to the already stressful builders' work.

Ideally, builders and subcontractors like to keep the public as far away from their sites as possible but the airport has to remain in use for its makeover.

The domestic terminals must be kept running safely and efficiently while builders and contractors move in crew and gear and partition off working areas.

Blocking off zones for heavy and sometimes dangerous work is just one of the demands while another will be bringing bulky materials to a site where buses, cars and taxis picking up and delivering people are constantly on the move.

Last but not least, the strict security regime cannot be breached - increasing that stress.