Alicante to unveil New Terminal Area as Aena privatisation progresses

The New Terminal Area cost €417 million and covers an area of 333,500sqm.

The New Terminal Area cost €417 million and covers an area of 333,500sqm.

The Spanish government’s decision to privatise Aena – which operates 47 airports in Spain – was announced in December and since then, the creation of Aena Aeropuertas S.A., which will become functional from June, has been approved.

As part of the plan, up to 49% of the newly created airports division will be open to private investment and the management of the nation’s two largest airports – Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat – will be privatised on a concession basis.

The privatisation is a response to the change in nature of the aviation sector over the last two decades and the move away from the current public-owned structure is aimed at introducing greater management flexibility to ensure the long-term efficiency and competitiveness of Aena’s airports.

New Terminal Area

As the main airport for the Region of Murcia, Alicante Airport has experienced significant growth since the turn of the century. Having handled 6 million passengers in 2000, this increased to almost 9.4 million in 2010 and in order to cater for the sharp rise in passenger traffic, the New Terminal Area, which will be officially unveiled at the end of March, brings Aena’s investment in the airport since 2004 to almost €630 million.

Aena has invested a total of 5630 million in modernising and expanding Alicante Airport since 2004.

Aena has invested a total of 5630 million in modernising and expanding Alicante Airport since 2004.

The new terminal itself comes at a cost of €417 million and covers an area of 333,500sqm. Located perpendicular to the runway, the terminal building will increase the number of check-in desks from 52 to 96, and the number of boarding gates from 16 to 26, 15 of which will provide direct aircraft connectivity. In turn, the airport’s capacity will also be increased to 20 million.

Martínez-Cava said: “This major renovation of the airport infrastructure is the biggest that has been undertaken since its opening in 1967. It will become a large airport that will boost tourism and business dynamism in Alicante.”

He continued: “It is a significant qualitative leap in the infrastructure at all levels. We are talking about a terminal where natural light is the protagonist.”

The glass walls provide impressive views of the Mediterranean, which according to the airport’s managing director, reflects the “modernity and quality of service” on offer.

Martínez-Cava: “This major renovation of the airport infrastructure is the biggest that has been undertaken since its opening in 1967.”

Martínez-Cava: “This major renovation of the airport infrastructure is the biggest that has been undertaken since its opening in 1967.”

This commitment to quality is also in evidence in the commercial offering. A variety of retail outlets, including brands such as Swarovski and Desigual are complemented by a comprehensive food and beverage (F&B) offering, which ranges from the 2 Michelin Star Aire Tapasbar, to the likes of Starbucks and Subway.

Every aspect of the New Terminal Area is state-of-the-art. In addition to the front line passenger processing facilities, the baggage handling system also utilises the very latest technology. At 18km long, the system allows for 7,880 bags to be processed per hour, while in the baggage reclaim hall, there are 14 belts, plus two additional belts for special baggage.

A six-storey, 4,200-bay car park, which provides direct connectivity to the terminal, is also in place, in addition to a bus station with 57 covered bays.

As part of Aena’s ‘Plan Alicante’, the airport’s airside facilities are also being upgraded. As well as the introduction of additional aircraft parking space, the apron is also being expanded and a rapid taxiway for arriving flights is being constructed as part of the airfield expansion.

Environmental focus

Martínez-Cava was also keen to highlight the focus that has been placed on environmental efficiency throughout the development process. “Caring for the environment is a priority for Alicante Airport and has been taken into account in all aspects of the enlargement,” he said.

During construction of the New Terminal Area, excavated soil and treated water have been reused, and ficus and palm trees have been planted. In terms of the architecture, greater light input has been achieved through skylights and the curtain wall, while energy efficiency has also been improved with solar filters and double-glazed glass.

Martínez-Cava: “We are talking about a terminal where natural light is the protagonist.”

Martínez-Cava: “We are talking about a terminal where natural light is the protagonist.”

“In the building, energy costs are reduced with an integral management through a centralised control. An automatic lighting control has been installed to take advantage of natural light and it will use low energy lighting and an automatic temperature control,” Martínez-Cava added.

Although considerable investment has been made in modernising and expanding Alicante Airport over the course of the last seven years, further plans have also been mooted regarding further development of the airport in the near future.

Martínez-Cava explained: “Aena has made a major commitment to intermodality and in 2014 it is expected that the airport will be connected by train with the city of Alicante.

“Furthermore, we are reviewing the master plan of the airport in which it is being considered within the General Airport System to build a second runway parallel to the one that exists at the moment.”

While the new facilities are more than capable of handling the anticipated increase in passenger traffic, the addition of a second runway is something that is on the medium-term agenda for Aena and Alicante Airport.


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