Virgin Australia T1 Domestic Terminal preview

Perth Airport Chief Executive Officer Brad Geatches and Virgin Australia Group Chief Executive Officer John Borghetti today toured the new T1 Domestic Terminal, including the Virgin Australia Lounge, departures and arrivals areas, food and beverage hub, and were guided through Virgin Australia’s new check-in experience.

Perth Airport Chief Executive Officer, Brad Geatches said the T1 Domestic Terminal is a world-class facility and the most significant project in Perth Airport’s current $1 billion redevelopment.

“We are very pleased with the quality of the new T1 Domestic Terminal.  It was the most complex component of our redevelopment program, and we are delighted to welcome Virgin Australia to their new home,” said Mr Geatches.

“The new Terminal is a world-class facility, offering customers a high level of service including a range of quality food, beverage and retail outlets, and a premium lounge for Virgin Australia guests.”

The spectacular new terminal was built especially for Virgin Australia and designed by Australian-based international architectural practice, Woods Bagot.

Virgin Australia Group Chief Executive Officer, John Borghetti said the new terminal will deliver an outstanding travel experience and is the centrepiece of Virgin Australia’s commitment to Western Australia.

“Perth is a city on the move, and we are pleased to be launching Virgin Australia’s new world-class Domestic Terminal on 22 November,” Mr Borghetti said.

“Perth is now home to our flagship check-in experience and we have doubled the size of the Virgin Australia Perth Lounge.

“The new Virgin Australia T1 Domestic Terminal will see regional, domestic and international flights located together in one precinct, enabling us to offer customers one of the fastest connection times in Australia.

“Our new check-in service will enable us to tailor the experience to the needs of different customers, combining cutting-edge technology with the personalised customer service for which Virgin Australia is renowned.

“The new Virgin Australia Perth Lounge features our signature Wine and Espresso Bar, together with an outstanding view of the Perth CBD over the tarmac and a range of delicious food.

“Together with our new Business Class suites on our Airbus A330 aircraft, I believe our ground experience will ensure that Virgin Australia becomes the number one choice for travellers on trans-continental routes,” Mr Borghetti said.

Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett commended Perth Airport on its investment decision, saying it coincided with the Federal and State Government’s $1 billion expenditure on Gateway WA, the road network leading into the airport.

“Perth Airport is an important gateway to our city and our State and this new terminal represents an exciting milestone in the transformation of the precinct,” said Mr Barnett.

“Tourism is an $8.7 billion industry for Western Australia and in 2014-15 Perth Airport’s total passenger numbers, including international and domestic, reached almost 14 million.

“We want visitors’ first impressions to be positive and lead to return visitation and endorsement, so a combination of better access to airport facilities and the delivery of services people want and need is key.

“There is no doubt this additional infrastructure will be needed for business and leisure travel now and into the future as the State’s tourism value and business attraction grows,” he said.

Features of Virgin Australia’s new T1 Domestic Terminal include:

28 domestic check-in kiosks and 14 hybrid self-service bag drop desks incorporating a new fast-track check-in system;
a total of 12 aerobridge serviced departure gates including three A330 capable aircraft gates;
a central retail and dining area offering passengers an extensive range of dining and shopping options;
the new Virgin Australia Lounge, featuring a stylish Wine and Espresso Bar, spectacular views of the Perth CBD over the tarmac and a range of delicious food from the Lounge menu; and
shorter transfer times to both regional WA and international flights.
The new Domestic Terminal also includes innovative sustainable design features to reduce energy consumption, particularly the use of natural light and a façade providing shade during the summer months.

“We are confident that the Virgin Domestic Terminal will more than meet the expectations of customers, now and in the future.  We deliberately put the customer at the forefront of design considerations and, from the feedback we have received so far, that has certainly paid off,” Mr Geatches said.

 

NOTE: The first flight to arrive into the T1 Domestic Terminal will be Virgin Australia flight VA 713 from Adelaide at 7.35am on Sunday 22 November and the first departing flight will be VA714 from Perth to Adelaide at 8.30am.

• Over 4,200 individual contractors and suppliers contributed to the project working more than 1.8 million man hours.
• The construction of the Pier involved over 15,000 cubic metres of concrete, 2,000 tonnes of steel, and 35,000 square metres of glazing and cladding to the exterior of the building.
• The pier extension is 1.5 times the length of Subiaco’s Domain Stadium (260 metres vs 175 metres).
• The total area of the project is 2.5 times the size of the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre (40,000 square metres vs 16,000 square metres).
• The perimeter of the project is 1.4 kilometres.
• 2,104 seats (1,691 gate seating with access to power) are available across the Pier.
• The Pier is 250 metres long, longer than the tallest building in WA (Central Park Tower at 249 metres) and is connected to Terminal 2 via an airside link.