Expert group appointed to verify costs of Dublin Airport's planned second terminal; 10 million passenger Low Cost Terminal opens at Kuala Lumpur at cost of €17 million

Irish
Expert group appointed to verify costs of Dublin Airport's planned second terminal; 10 million passenger Low Cost Terminal opens at Kuala Lumpur at cost of €17 million
By Finfacts Team
Mar 23, 2006, 10:08

The Minister of Transport Martin Cullen has appointed an expert group to verify the costs of the planned new Terminal Two at Dublin Airport. It is forecast that the terminal will be up and running by 2009.

Printer-friendly page from Finfacts Ireland Business News - Click for the News Main Page - A service of the Finfacts Ireland Business and Finance Portal

Kuala Lumpur International Airport opened in 1998

The independent verification of the Dublin Airport Authority's costings was promised by the Minister last year as part of the safeguards to maximise cost effectiveness.

The verification, to be completed by June, will be conducted by chartered surveyors Boyd Creed Sweet along with Parr Architects and environmental consultants FaberMaunsell.

Last year, the Irish Government gave the go-ahead for the building of a second terminal at Dublin airport that will cost up to €170 million directly and €270 million, including the additional cost of site preparation and support infrastructure such as roadways, aprons and contact stands.

Dublin's new terminal is likely to become fully operational in 2009 when Dublin Airport’s forecast passenger numbers will be in excess of 22 million.

10 million passenger Low Cost Terminal opens at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today launched the biggest terminal dedicated to Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) designed to handle up to 10 million passengers a year at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

The RM108 million (€17 million) terminal, known as LCC Terminal-KLIA, is an extension of the facilities of the KLIA.

The Low Cost Carrier Terminal is specifically built at KL International Airport to cater to the growing passengers of the Low Cost Airlines, especially the passengers of Malaysia's first 'no-frills' airline, Air Asia. It is located 20km away from the KLIA Main Terminal Building (MTB). Construction of the LCC Terminal was on a fast track basis beginning June 2005 at an approximate cost of RM 108 million.

The 35,290 square meters terminal is designed and built to suit the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) business model that requires basic terminal facilities and amenities. With this in mind, the terminal is designed to facilitate the passengers' movement of international and domestic departures/arrivals within a single floor operation area. Thus it doesn't require travellators, escalators and aerobridges to be provided at the terminal.

At the opening, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan said the completion of the project ahead of schedule, whick took nine months to complete, was a reflection of the government's support and commitment to develop the low cost travel sector and to make air travel more affordable to all.

"The government had undertaken the building of a dedicated low cost carrier terminal in recognition of the contribution by low cost carriers in promoting and developing tourism and economies in their respective countries.

"Although it is a low cost carrier terminal, the facilities offered are similar, if not better, than other international airport in trhe region," he said.

The opening of the LCC terminal completes KLIA as an integrated airport which caters to passengers of all levels.

Last year, 23.2 million passengers passed through, of which low cost airline passengers constituted 17.41 per cent or 4.04 million passengers.

The operation of the LCC Terminal is supported by the existing parking apron and additional infrastructures such as car parks, surface access, kerbside road and other utilities. This terminal is capable of handling 10million passengers a year and there is scope for further expansion of up to 15 million passengers, if required in the future.