The proposed construction of a third Paris airport, 120km (75 miles) north of the city centre, has been dropped following a parliamentary report that cites exorbitant costs, environmental nuisance and "uncertain" advantages. The decision confirms transport minister Gilles de Robien's decision last year to abandon the idea. Work has begun on a new regional airport in China's north-west province of Xinjiang. The airport, in the south of the province, is due to open in June 2005. It will have a runway about 2,500m (8,200ft) long. Denver International Airport has received approval to add 10 mainline and six regional jet gates on its Concourse A. Nantes aims to have a new airport open by 2009 that can handle 15 million passengers a year, as part of France's regional airport development policy. Nantes' current airport is expected to reach its capacity of 2 million passengers a year soon, and regional development office France Atlantique says the site of the new airport has been selected and a public debate has been open for the past six months. Qatar Airways is investing $150 million in the second phase of the expansion of its Doha International Airport base. Work will include expansion of the arrivals terminal to increase its capacity from 3.5 million to 6 million passengers, the construction of five more parking bays and two hangars, and the expansion of the duty free area by 25%. Brisbane Airport is spending A$400 million ($250 million) to construct a third runway, which it intends to open by 2013. The runway, to run parallel with the main runway, will initially be 3,000m (10,000ft) long, with a future extension to 3,600m.
Source: Flight International
