PERTH AIRPORT INVITES TENDERS FOR

Perth Airport Pty Ltd has invited five companies to tender for the first phase in the expansion of International Terminal 1. This project focuses on the construction of a new international arrivals area and a major upgrade of the departures, customs processing and quarantine areas.

Construction will commence in early 2012 and, on completion in late 2014, the customer experience at the current International Terminal will be significantly improved.

Perth Airport Chief Executive Officer Brad Geatches said the expansion would ensure the airport was capable of facilitating Perth’s strong growth in passenger numbers for years to come and would greatly enhance one of the State’s most important elements of infrastructure.

“The design has taken into consideration rapidly changing technology and the need to ‘future proof’ these facilities by providing for projected demand as well as next generation security screening and baggage technology,” Mr Geatches said.

“This project will result in increased capacity for efficient border control processes and substantially reduce waiting times for international travellers.”
Other features include:

• an expanded check-in hall with 16 additional counters allowing passengers to move more efficiently through to an increased border and security screening area,
• a refurbished and spacious departures area offering a far greater range of retail opportunities, an expanded duty free store, and
• greater dining choice with new food and beverage outlets providing a variety of options.
In addition, this first stage includes significantly expanding the incoming duty free retail options and having passport control on the first level. To minimize queuing and waiting times, passengers will then travel to the ground floor to a greatly expanded baggage reclaim hall and new quarantine and customs area.

Last year, Perth Airport experienced a record 11.5 million passenger movements, representing a growth of 9.4 per cent, highlighting the strong demand for airport services. This growth is expected to continue as more airlines establish operations in Perth to support the demand from the mining and tourism sectors.

Tenders for these works close on Monday 30 January 2012 and it is expected that the contract will be awarded in March 2012.