Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has unveiled plans for a massive new $1 billion L-shaped terminal precinct located between Brisbane Airport’s two runways.
BAC has shifted its planning and instead wants a new integrated world-class terminal that services both domestic and international operations, positioned between the two runways.
A BAC spokesperson says that the terminal will be a modern, sustainable green building that harnesses the best of Queensland – its sunshine – alongside engaging retail options and touchless, self-service operations.
It will open up new international route opportunities like we saw with Chicago and San Francisco pre-COVID, ensuring that we are connecting Brisbane to the world more than ever before. – Brisbane Airport Corporation.
The large new integrated terminal building which would cost around $1 billion is estimated to come online from 2032, however the timeline would be moved forward if Brisbane is confirmed as the host of the 2032 Olympic Games.
BAC said that the integrated terminal would help Brisbane become a true airport hub and that it is something that airlines, particularly airlines based in Australia, want because they can connect flights within Australia and then out internationally.
“We will work closely with the Brisbane Airport Development and Design Integrity Panel (DDIP) and with the community to ensure we deliver a world-class terminal that is a beautiful, uniquely Queensland destination in itself.”
The Brisbane Airport DDIP provides independent advice to BAC on design and development matters in order to maintain and enhance high quality property development and place making for Brisbane Airport.
“We are looking at a cost of $300M for the first stage, and $1B for the full development.” – Brisbane Airport Corporation.
Along with a new northern integrated domestic and international terminal, BAC wants to connect the airport precincts together with a new Australian-first airport mass transit system.
As part of the Brisbane Airport 2020 master plan, BAC is planning a mass transit system that could handle the forecasted 50 million passengers and 50,000 workers that will transit through the Airport precinct by the early 2040’s.
The automated transit system would be similar to airport transit systems seen in many international airports.
According to BAC, an elevated airtrain transit system could handle 3200 passengers per hour and take no longer than five minutes.
Originally constructed in 1995, the current international airport which is approaching 30 years of age will continue to be used until the new integrated Airport terminal is completed and would then be repurposed in about 15 years.
I read of BACs proposed new terminal with great interest. On behalf of all travellers who may be using the facility, could I suggest to the architects that toilet facilities are taken seriously for a change? Australian airports have absolutely dreadful facilities for travellers and we want something which emulates the Singapore model – spacious toilet areas with big cubicles to accomodate bags, coats and luggage and children, and separate areas away from the basins with room for trolleys, and mirrors and benches so we can sort ourselves out after flights. All this is so essential if the expectation is that there will be a growing number of transfers between domestic and international. Let the restrooms be a feature rather than something tacked on afterwards in the most minimal way possible.
This really would be an incredible addition to Brisbane especially with the plans to hold the Olympics. This airport development has been needed for years. With the new Queens Wharf Development, Brisbane Live, and many more major developments, Brisbane will start to become bigger and bigger especially with tourism and at the moment, our airport does not do our city justice.
A world class terminal for an airport with parallel runways that are angled towards the most populated residential areas in Queensland. Brisbane is probably the only so-called world-class city where low flying planes are allowed over the CBD.