Competition in the global aviation industry is increasingly fierce, and airports are upping their game as hubs through expansion plans and building new terminals. Here are five of them in the Asia-Pacific region.
KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Expansion: T
he new Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2)
Launch date: June 2013
Cost: RM3.6-RM3.9 billion (US$1.15-US$1.25 billion)
Area: 257,000 sqm
New facilities: The multi-storey KLIA2, located 1.5km from the current KLIA, consists of a main terminal and a satellite building linked by a skybridge. It serves both local and international low-cost and full-service carriers, and it is able to handle the A380. It has 60 gates, eight remote stands, 80 aerobridges and 32,000 sqm of retail space to accommodate 225 retail outlets. KLIA2 is designed to handle 45 million passengers annually.
Connectivity: A rail link is being constructed to connect KLIA2 and KLIA. The new terminal will also be connected by buses, KTM, and ERL in the future.
CANBERRA AIRPORT
Expansion: The new western concourse terminal
Launch date: March 2013
Cost: It is a part of the airport’s US$420 million redevelopment project
Area: 30,000 sqm
New facilities: The new terminal features a new aircraft apron of more than 80,000 sqm and capable of handling the A380; multi-level car parks; and a two-level dual-lane axial roadway. Additional features include five aerobridges, 44 check-in counters, passenger screening areas and four new baggage carousels. The terminal aims to help Canberra Airport to cope with passenger traffic that is expected to double to 6.14 million over the next 20 years. Currently, the terminal mainly serves for domestic airlines, but international flights will be added.
Connectivity: The western concourse terminal is connected to the airport’s southern concourse by a three-storey glass atrium.
LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORT
Expansion: Redevelopment of the Tom Bradley International Terminal
Launch date: July 2013 (Completion of construction is set for 2014.)
Cost: Estimated US$1.5 billion
Area: Over 116,000 sqm
New facilities: The Tom Bradley International Terminal has 2 concourses with 18 gates, nine of which will be able to handle the A380. The terminal will service most of the major international flights in the airport, except those currently handled by Terminal 2. The new terminal will be equipped with dual passenger loading bridges, in order to provide faster boarding and deplaning services.
Connectivity: There are buses connecting the terminal with the satellite gates on the west side of the airport, where some of the international flights are catered.
CHANGI AIRPORT
Expansion: Terminal 4 
Launch date: 2017
Cost: S$600 million (US$480 million)
Area: about 160,000 sqm
New facilities: The new two-storey terminal, with planned capacity of 16 million passengers, will be built on the site of the former Budget Terminal. It is designed to accommodate both regional low-cost and full-service carriers, and features 17 narrow-body and nine wide-body aircraft stands. Other facilities include self check-in, self-service baggage tagging and drop-off, as well as automated baggage sorting system. Additionally, a multi-storey car park with spaces for 1,200 vehicles will be constructed next to the terminal.
Connectivity: A new road linking T4 and the East Coast Parkway will be built in order to ease the traffic flow. Bridges will be built to connect T4 with other terminals.
KOLKATA AIRPORT
Expansion: A new integrated terminal 
Launch date: January 2013
Cost: Rs23,250 million (US$434 million)
Area: About 190,000 sqm
New facilities: The five-level terminal has the capacity of 20 million passengers annually, including 16 million domestic and four million international passengers. It has 48 international check-in counters and 80 domestic. The terminal has a wide apron, on which 18 aircraft can be parked in an in-contact configuration. It has been designed to handle the A380. An additional 11 parking bays have been added, increasing the total number to 23. Other facilities in operation include 38 immigration counters, 23 international and 33 domestic security gates and 18 aerobridges.
Connectivity: The new terminal is adjacent to the existing domestic terminal, and offers modern taxiways for passengers.
Nino Lin
