There are lots of changes underway at the Fredericton International Airport. After a record-breaking number of passengers in 2018 and almost a decade of consecutive growth, the airport will be redeveloped to accommodate more passenger traffic.
Bird Construction won a bid to overlook the 24-month, $30-million expansion.
“Its 50 per cent more footprint, but it will look totally different,” said Johanne Gallant, president and CEO of the Fredericton International Airport.
But some passengers like the cozy feel of the airport as is. “It’s cute, it’s little, and the staff (are) friendly,” said Ruth Kelusky a traveller headed back to Ontario. “It’s so unlike the Toronto airport, where you have to walk for miles one way and miles the other way.”
“My favourite thing about Fredericton airport is how small it is,” says traveller William Vanderlaan.
For now, check-in has been moved to the opposite end of the airport. To make space for construction inside, car rental has been temporarily relocated to a trailer outside next to arrivals.
“This building was built for 200,000 passengers and we’re at 424, so we’re doing this to accommodate the existing business and the future business,” says Gallant.
Construction will not affect flight schedules, but YFC is advising all travellers to check their website for updates on the terminal expansion project before leaving home.
Fourty per cent construction funding will come from the Fredericton International Airport Authority. Both Ottawa and the province are pitching in $9 million apiece.
The airport authority is a not-for-profit organization and all revenues generated by the airport authority are reinvested back into the airport.
“It’s will be so much more efficient, bathrooms will be redone, you’ll have a play centre for the kids in the holding room, you’ll also have access to food on both sides so the place will really change,” said Gallant.
When construction is complete there will still only be one baggage carousel in arrivals the changes do not include anymore domestic or international flights.
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