WORK has begun to fit out customs and immigration offices at Newcastle Airport, an investment the NSW government says will bring Hunter passengers nearer to overseas flight services.
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The upgrade to ready the airport for international flights is worth $1.9 million, and fulfils a state government commitment, revealed by the Newcastle Herald in 2015, to contribute $850,000.
The terminal will be fit out in line with the modern expectations of border agencies, with security technology, IT upgrades, passenger screening equipment and furniture for agency staff.
After opening a $14.5 million terminal two years ago, the airport’s board is well-placed to court airlines that fly into Asia and the Pacific, chief executive Peter Cock said.
“Our discussions with the airlines to start direct international services to and from Newcastle Airport in the past two years have been hampered by the fact that our terminal infrastructure simply wasn’t ready to accept international flights,” Dr Cock said.
“While completing this project doesn’t guarantee international flights will start from Newcastle Airport in the near future, it does mean that from an infrastructure perspective we have done everything we need to do to prepare our terminal for international flights.”
While no airlines have committed to international flights into or out of Newcastle, the airport’s boss wants a service to the “hub” of Auckland, as well as Thailand and other parts of South-East Asia.
“When this project is finished we will be one step closer to being ready for international flights,” he said.
“In the meantime we will continue to lobby the airlines to provide the air services our region deserves.”
For now, airlines remain coy about Newcastle.
“Virgin Australia continually reviews its network but we have no plans to introduce international flights from Newcastle at this time,” a Virgin spokeswoman said.
Air New Zealand told the Herald, “we have no plans to fly to Newcastle at this time,” while requests for comment from Fiji Airways and Jetstar were unsuccessful.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said funding for the terminal upgrades – shared with Newcastle and Port Stephens councils – would deliver security, passport and “border force equipment” for direct international flights.
Mr Constance said the airport’s wider redevelopment would bring as many as 180 jobs during the construction and 375 after that, numbers Port Stephens state Labor MP Kate Washington labelled “gilding the lily”.
Cardiff construction firm Kingston Building will carry out the works.
