Australian authorities have opened a A$100 million ($90 million) redeveloped passenger terminal at Gold Coast airport in Queensland.
The 30,000 square metre terminal is double the size of the previous terminal, says Australia's federal minister for infrastructure and transport Anthony Albanese.
It has been designed to support low cost airlines, he adds.
"It [Gold Coast] is one of the fastest growing airports in Australia and is a vital gateway to some of Australia's most popular tourist destinations in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales," says Albanese.
Gold Coast airport, which contributes A$1 billion to the region's economy every year, now handles 4.9 million passengers annually, he adds.
The previous terminal was built in 1981, when it handled 300,000 passengers annually.
"The terminal has undergone several upgrades since 1981 but our growth over recent years necessitated the need for this significant expansion," says Queensland Airports managing director Dennis Chant.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
