23 September 2009

New Regional Lounge at Christchurch Airport

Artists impression of Regional Lounge

Christchurch International Airport has announced it is about to begin preparation work for the Regional Lounge part of the new terminal development. “This section of the new terminal will be dedicated to turbo-prop aircraft, which fly to many centres in New Zealand,” said CIAL Chief Executive Jim Boult. “While a Regional Lounge has always been part of the plans for the new terminal development, it’s only recently that the design has been formalised.”

The development of the Regional Lounge extension has been done in conjunction with Air New Zealand, who currently is the only airline servicing provincial centres. However other airlines are also able to use it.

The construction of the Regional Lounge will occur simultaneously with the construction of the main part of the new terminal. The Regional Lounge will be built to the south of the present domestic terminal on the site where a World War II hangar currently sits. This location means the construction project will not affect passenger or aircraft movement.

The World War II hangar, also known as No.2 Hangar, was built in 1939, when construction of the airport took place.  During the war it was used for the airforce, and for thirty years afterwards the National Airways Corporation (NAC) used it for aircraft maintenance. From 1978 it was used by Air New Zealand Cargo, and more recently it’s been used for general storage.

The dismantling of No. 2 Hangar began this week and will take until the end of the year. Early next year construction will begin of the Regional Lounge and its adjacent aircraft parking positions. It is due to completed in 2011, along with the front part of the new terminal, in time for the Rugby World Cup. The rest of the integrated terminal development will be finished in 2012.