Renders for the multibillion-dollar upgrade to Perth Airport, adding a new Airport Central terminal, parallel runway, two multistorey carparks and an airport hotel were revealed on Monday.
Roger Cook said the $3 billion development, to open in 2031, would add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth each year and Qantas and Jetstar would relocate to the new precinct.
“This investment further strengthens Perth’s position as the western gateway to Australia, an important role given that 95 per cent of our visitors to Western Australia come by air,” Mr Cook said.
The airport upgrade was critical in securing WA’s long-term economic growth, Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters added.
“We want to be intuitive, use the latest technology, and the best wayfinding, so that you can get your way through the airport and on to a plane as quickly, smoothly, and as efficiently as possible,” Mr Waters said.
Part of that involved using the latest in biometric technology to track passengers from the moment they enter the airport, right through to when they take their seat.
“It’s the latest technology to ensure that we manage queues, we can respond quickly when there’s incidents and events, maintenance issues are identified early and able to be dealt with, and we’re using the latest technology when it comes to security and scanning to minimise the impact on customers,” he said.
In the five-year lead up, travellers have been told to approach flights in and out of Perth Airport with “a bit of understanding of the change we’re undertaking”.
“As importantly as anything, plan ahead your journey. Don’t get caught out last minute because from here on in, over the next five or six years, there’s going to be a lot happening at Perth Airport,” Mr Waters said.
First though, they will need to tackle critical construction and trade worker shortages.
“Actually, accessing trades and labour and raw materials that we need, we know is going to be a challenge. So, we’re engaging with the constructor market right now to get a more refined view of both cost and time, and I don’t want to preempt any of that,” he said.
“We’ve got a little way to go yet, but in coming years, I think I’ll get a crystallised view of exactly what it is to be able to achieve.
“The plans are still being firmed up, but in 12 months, you’ll start to see the early signs of the future taking shape.”
Work on the terminal element will begin within the next 12 months, with the first new carpark already completed and due to open for operation in the remaining months of this year.
The hotel build, which paused mid-commencement “to understand the complexity of the entire project suite”, will recommence late next year or early 2028, and open before 2030, Mr Waters said.
Services have already been expanded with flights added to Tokyo and a new nonstop service to Christchurch.
Daily direct Tokyo to Perth services will bring an extra 20,600 people until March 27 next year after airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) expanded on its usual three flights a week.
Starting on Tuesday, Jetstar will begin a seasonal Christchurch to Perth direct service that will run three times a week until March 27, 2027, and bring an extra 700 inbound seats from New Zealand each week.
Air New Zealand’s direct Christchurch to Perth route will also bring an extra 18,000 people to WA, onwards from the end of November until May 7, 2027.