Bordeaux Airport launches the first major construction projects in its new investment plan

As part of the 2023 investment plan, the Société Aéroport de Bordeaux-Mérignac that manages the airport is launching major new projects that will enhance development and boost its positive economic impact in its area of influence in coming years.

From 6.8 million passengers in 2018, Bordeaux Airport expects to be welcoming 10 million a year by 2023, while 10,000 jobs are likely to be created within the Bordeaux-Aéroparc Operation of Metropolitan Interest by 2030. Prospects of a fast-growing air transport network have led the airport company to launch a €140 million investment plan for the 2018-2023 period. The major projects in the plan will be shaping the new face of the airport: capacity, comfort, accessibility and even better integration within its local territory.

The airport investment program involves the construction of several major infrastructure projects, including three dedicated to handling passengers: the new “Satellite 3″ international jetty in Hall A (Download the picture), the extension and complete reconfiguration of the “billi” low-cost terminal, and a large junction terminal between Halls A and B, which will complete the plan in 2023.

2019, a milestone year for first new infrastructure projects

2019 marks the launch of several of the airport’s new construction projects. As part of this project running through to 2021 when the entirely-redesigned low-cost terminal will be opened, work will be starting right away on “billi” in spring 2019 with an interim project to extend and automate the whole hold-luggage handling process: drop-off, check-in, conveying and screening.

The construction of the new “Satellite 3″ international jetty will be launched in April 2019 with the target completion date set for summer 2020. Built with the general objective of increasing the capacity and efficiency of international passenger flows through Hall A with border checks, the new building of High Environmental Quality should allow simultaneous transfer of passengers from its four departure lounges and of passengers on landing towards the checkpoints, with an annual capacity of 2.5 to 3 million people.

In preparation for its construction, a project to expand and modernise the controlled-access zone for departures from Hall A is currently underway. From summer 2019, it will increase passenger processing capacity by 40% from its current level. During this period, there will also be work on the renovation and extension of airport pavement surfaces facing the future jetty to create two additional aircraft stands, increasing the number of simultaneous aircraft stopovers that can be handled in this area to 5 and bringing the total number of aircraft stands to 35.

Outside the investment scope of the airport company, the programme for the future “45th Parallel” service-sector and hotel park, managed by the company Nexity under the terms of a temporary occupancy authorisation, has just seen construction start on its first phase, with work on site preparation, roads and networks.

As work proceeds on the first phase of the expansion of the “P4” long-term car park (900 spaces), as part of the reconstruction of the range of car park facilities, the project will see the delivery in Q1 2019, right in front of the terminals, of the entirely-renovated P1/P2 car parks offering a much higher standard of services. This includes a dynamic display of available parking spaces, automatic opening for season-ticket holders and online bookings on entry and exit, and sheltered pedestrian walkways with totally redesigned signposting. These services come a few months after the introduction of free charging stations for electric vehicles.

Finally, while work to clear the route for a new tram line began in 2018, the projects under the airport’s accessibility improvement plan are entering a more active phase:  to open routes for the Technobus in 2019 and the tram in 2022, the work to reroute utility networks and modify road networks in front of the terminals will be taking place in H2 2019. These developments will be implemented by the airport company, in collaboration with the Bordeaux Metropole Project Manager.