After a record number of over 1.9 million passengers travelled to and from the Victoria International Airport in 2017, the airport authority decided that it was time to start growing.
In a press release this morning, the VAA (Victoria Airport Authority) announced its plans to spend $19.4 million expanding the lower passenger departure lounge – the project is slated for completion in 2020.
Breakdown of the changes
Here’s what they’re planning:
- Doubling the size of the existing lower departure lounge
- Designated departure doors/gates for each aircraft, along with covered walkways
- More food, beverage, and retail options
- New washrooms
These updates are designed to enhance safety and convenience for travellers, as they will provide more accessibility and improve people’s overall experience.
During construction
The building of the expansion has already begun, so in the meantime, temporary pathways to and from aircrafts have been added to assist passengers.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience during construction as we continue to improve the airport experience for our customers,” said VAA President and CEO, Geoff Dickson.
An economic study about the airport’s operations revealed their total economic output to be $880 million. This, combined with the 4.2% traffic increase in 2017, and the use of larger airplanes in the market makes this $19.4 million investment highly lucrative.
