New shopping options at Auckland Airport

New shopping and dining options open this week at Auckland Airport's domestic terminal

This week sees another step closer to completion of the ‘extreme makeover’ at Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal. In time for the busy summer travelling season, an expanded retail, dining and security screening area is now open to the public. This development is part of Auckland Airport’s commitment to meet the needs of passengers with modern domestic terminal facilities.

Domestic travellers can shop and dine in new stores, bars and cafés located between the Air New Zealand and Qantas domestic check-in areas. The development conveniently links the terminals into one spacious and stylish facility and provides an enlarged and relaxing environment for passengers. An improved departure and security screening area and a new escalator up to Air New Zealand’s gate lounge has also opened.

Construction started in May and has taken seven months to complete the 2200 square metre retail development.

_Auckland Airport chief executive Don Huse says that the new shops, cafés and bars give travellers many more dining and shopping options in the domestic terminal.

“Domestic travellers now have a much wider dining choice ranging from fast food, fresh sushi, a bar, cafés and juice bar.

This stage of the extreme makeover is in time for summer and the peak period for travel. Visitors through the airport will see a dramatic change and improvement in the facilities”.

New or relocated shops, services and dining options include; Whitcoulls, Sunglass Hut, New Zealand and Beyond, Sunflowers Florist, Bank of New Zealand, Hayama Sushi, McDonald’s, Take Off, The River Café, Bach Café, Ranges Bar and Café, Espresso Plus and Tank Juice Bar. Velluto Espresso Bar remains airside.

Last week saw the completion of the new regional airline gate lounge, new check in counters, new seating and baggage claim area. This comes on top of an upgrade and expansion of the forecourt and roading around the Air New Zealand and Qantas domestic terminals. July saw the opening of a new 850-space multi- level car parking and rental car facility with a covered walkway directly into the terminal and retail area.

The next stage of the domestic terminal extreme makeover involves an extensive renovation of the Air New Zealand domestic terminal. During this busy construction period, Auckland Airport and Air New Zealand appreciate the patience and understanding of the travelling public.

Auckland Airport has around 5 million domestic passenger movements a year. The extensive upgrade and expansion marks the partial completion of a $42 million project to upgrade the domestic terminal facilities and is part of an extreme makeover being undertaken jointly by Auckland International Airport Limited (AIAL) and its main tenant Air New Zealand. AIAL’s returns on this investment will be derived from additional rental, aeronautical charges and retail income.

Auckland Airport is New Zealand’s international gateway, handling more than 70 percent of the country’s international passengers. It is the second-largest cargo port by value in New Zealand. The airport handles 11 million passengers a year, and around 154,000 aircraft movements. The number of passenger movements is projected to be 24 million by 2025.

ENDS

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