Perth Domestic

[Brad Myer]

Hey,

Anyone able to shed some light on how the domestic terminal upgrades are progressing? Are the new QF domestic gates completed yet? New QF club open?

Thanks

[Montague S]

no to the gates, no to the QF club...but the link between DJ and QF is complete.

[Tim C]

The saying to sum it up is "Slow and steady and they still wont win the race"

[Rhys Xanthis]

Along with the extra baggage carousel.

They are also doing some work where the QFLink carousel used to be. Unsure what is going there...or is that the new walkthrough upto the gates?

[Brenden S]

No new gates, just a upgrade to bay 12 having a aerobridge installed.

[Adam W]

And that bridge on bay 12 is now in use. No more going up and down stairs on widebodies.

[Scott Loveday]

Westralia Airports Corporation's long overdue expansion plans for the much maligned and overcrowded Perth Airport were given the green light yesterday with the approval for $882 million in financing to fund new terminals and significant upgrades.

The finance package, comprising $740 million in new debt facilities and $142 million from company shareholders, will refinance bank debt facilities and fund the airport's substantial capital expenditure program.

Chief executive Brad Geatches said that preliminary September figures for the airport showed a 17 per cent increase in international passengers.

More than 10 million passengers - almost five times the population of WA - are expected to fly in or out of Perth Airport this financial year.

Mr Geatches said that the financing, secured under difficult conditions, was provided by eight banks from Australia, Europe and Asia.

"Completion of the financing provides the funding certainty we need to proceed with our major investments to increase capacity and customer service levels at Perth Airport," Mr Geatches said.

"These funds will underpin our investment in a new domestic terminal, Terminal WA, and expansion of our existing international terminal, as well as many other projects that will further improve customer service at Perth Airport."

The financing package enables the airport to start construction of Terminal WA for low-cost airlines and regional operators, complete a new link road between the domestic and international terminals, while expanding the international terminal and upgrading Terminal 3, which is used by Virgin Blue, with three new aerobridges.

The plans for the international terminal include a new "finger" built out to the west with four aerobridges.

Construction will start early next year and be completed in 2011.

These extensions and upgrades are separate from a major $50 million revamp of the Qantas domestic terminal and associated roadworks, which is expected to be completed by Christmas.

-Geoffrey Thomas [The West Australian]