Hobart Airport (HBA) has revealed plans for a major terminal expansion and hopes to receive new international flights in the near future.
“Deliberate in our design, we are working to create a space that celebrates our history and directs our future as Tasmania’s premier gateway,” HBA stated.
“We take pride in our role as the makers of first impressions, offering a uniquely Tasmanian experience to visitors and a familiar sense of place to those arriving home.”
The Terminal Expansion Project (TXP) will more than double the current building’s footprint and is expected to be completed in three stages. It is set to cost around $200m and will include international processing facilities, increased baggage processing facilities, expanded departure and airline lounges, enhanced passenger screening facilities, and more retail and dining.
According to the ABC, HIA chief operating officer Matt Cocker said there are still no plans to introduce aerobridges in the foreseeable future, meaning passengers will still board and disembark on the ground.
“At the moment, aerobridges are not within the design, but we are talking with our airline partners around alternative boarding choices,” he said.
“Aerobridges, of course, are an expensive option, and our airline partners and ourselves are in discussions around the best way to develop in the most cost-efficient way.
“We’re both keen to ensure the price of a ticket doesn’t rise too greatly.”
The announcement comes on the back of Tasmania’s thriving tourism industry and rapid population growth.
Last year was HBA’s busiest ever year, processing more than 2.6 million passengers. With more than 5 per cent annual growth recorded over the past four years, HBA hopes to increase traffic to 4.5 million by 2030.
Receiving new international flights should help HBA achieve that goal.
“We are certainly talking with [international] airlines right now, around getting those airlines to come to Tasmania as soon as possible,” said Hobart Airport CEO Matt Cocker.
“We’re focusing on a trans-Tasman flight but also an Asian service that will open up not only the Asian market and the New Zealand market, but it would certainly open up opportunities for America and Europe.”
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