Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) today announced an investment of €450m for the new year to augment development of the capital's airport facility.
Investment programme, Transforming Dublin Airport, is a 10-year plan worth €2bn which has been set aside by the DAA to increase the facility's customer handling capacity by 12 million passengers.
The long-hailed T2 will begin to take shape this year, DAA officials said, and customers can expect to see the familiar temporary hoardings replaced with permanent structural fixtures.
The new passenger terminal is costing €395m and is expected, alongside other infrastructure developments, to increase the airport's passenger turnover from the current rate of 23 million travellers per annum to 35 million.
"Dublin is the fastest growing major airport in Europe and the investments that we are making now will deliver the passenger facilities that are required for a major capital city airport," DAA chief executive Declan Collier said.
Construction of the 75,000 sq metre terminal, which spans the main approach road to the existing airport began in October last year and is due to be completed by the end of 2009.
T2 will handle up to 15 million passengers per year and is due to open to the public in April 2010. Work has also started on preparing the site for a new boarding gate facility - Pier E.
However, the DAA says this is just one of 65 construction projects that will be ongoing during 2008 at Dublin airport.
Pending planning permission, work will commence shortly on a €55m extension to the existing terminal, to facilitate more movement space for customers, expanded check-in areas and additional retail space.
The DAA says it is also set to begin work to improve gas, electricity and sewage systems and is investing €85m in new aircraft parking stands and taxiways.
Last year, four new developments came to fruition including:
- Pier D boarding area, which contains 12 boarding gates
- Improved immigration area for passengers using Piers A and D
- Area 14 lower ground floor check-in section, which has a handling capacity of 4 million per annum
- Centralised car rental facility at Eastlands
"We have carefully planned all of the construction activity to ensure the minimum disruption to passengers, but we ask customers to please bear with us as we continue to transform your airport," Mr Collier said.