Hawke's Bay Airport chief executive Stuart Ainslie said the two primary functional parts of the terminal are now complete. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hawke's Bay Airport chief executive Stuart Ainslie said the two primary functional parts of the terminal are now complete. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hawke's Bay Airport's $20.2 million expansion upgrade is two-thirds of the way to completion, with the new departure area set to open on Tuesday.
Hawke's Bay Airport chief executive Stuart Ainslie said the two primary functional parts of the terminal are now complete, the departure and arrival areas, and constructionof the centralised hospitality and retail passenger area is under way with the terminal set for full completion in October 2020.
"We've completed the operational aspects of the terminal, where people check in for departure and collect bags on arrival, and we've now moved on to the exciting part of the project, which will reveal the heart of our new terminal," Ainslie said.
The departure area with a new baggage system, airline offices and cargo area is now operating after less than a month's minor setback following Arrow International going into liquidation.
Ainslie said the sudden departure of Arrow forced the airport company to come up with a creative solution - establishing its own construction company, Hawke's Bay Airport Construction Limited, to project manage the build and appoint the sub-contractor businesses.
"It was an unexpected setback but we put in place our contingency plan and we're particularly proud that we were able to minimise delays and look after the suppliers and tradesmen involved in the project, most of who are local," Ainslie said.
He adds that stage three, the central precinct will set the scene for celebrating the story of Hawke's Bay, both from a cultural perspective but also in terms of bringing the terminal to life with a strong local theme to feature in the expanded hospitality and retail offerings.
Dean Smith and Stuart Ainslie show of some of the new-look airport to be unveiled. Photo / Paul Taylor
Well-respected local artist and designer Jacob Scott was engaged to work alongside project architects Design Group PMA.
His brief was to weave a cultural overlay into the internal fit-out to build on the narrative created by the recently completed Watchman Rd project.
An upgrade to the car park precinct and a new forecourt entrance way into the terminal are also under way.
The car park will be reconfigured and new parking payment technology introduced as the airport aims to further improve the visitor experience, improve traffic flow and enable visitors to navigate their way around the roading system.
New car parking payment technology will be introduced aimed at minimising the reliance on the ticket machines and exploring online payment methods via a website portal and apps.
Ainslie says, as the new terminal reopens over three stages, airport staff will continue to focus on minimising congestion in the pick-up/drop-off area in front of the terminal.
"It's a safety and security issue as much as a parking and congestion issue. This area needs to be kept as clear as possible and is only for prompt drop-offs and pick-ups."
The airport is currently developing a next-generation sustainable masterplan that will identify how the airport will grow into the future as it aspires to be New Zealand's most vibrant and successful regional airport.
