Auckland International Airport (AIA) is to spend a further NZ$100m ($68.8m) on expanding its international terminal and introducing new retail space in a major relocation of its arrivals shop facilities.

AIA says that the work should be completed by December 2007, with construction scheduled to begin next month. Speaking at AIA?s interim results announcement, the airport?s Ceo Don Huse said: ‘The international terminal will be expanded to the west, with an increase in the arrivals border processing capacity and incorporating a new arrivals duty free area.
‘The position of the new extension was determined as part of an extensive international terminal planning study that has taken place over the past two years. It takes into account the international terminal's future direction, including the development of a second pier, which will be further to the west.
‘The planning for the international terminal incorporates the masterplan review work that has been undertaken at the same time, to confirm a clear direction for the development of the airport.’
AIA says that the arrivals retail space will almost double and arriving passengers will move from the current pier along a walkway with views over the airfield and Manukau Harbour, to the new shopping area.
‘The arrivals process has been experiencing significant congestion at peak periods in the past few years. While the airport company expanded the area and increased the number of immigration counters in the 2004/05 summer, the growth in passengers has meant that this was an interim measure.
‘There is no more room to expand within the existing space, so AIAL has taken this option to develop towards the further expansion area of the terminal.’ Regency Duty Free (owned by Nuance) and DFS Group both operate arrivals stores at Auckland.
Meanwhile, AIA reported that its profits decreased by 6.1% to $NZ51m ($33.5m) in the six months to December 31, 2005. AIA said this reflected slowing passenger growth and capital restructuring.