On Thursday, Waterloo Region announced that the new domestic arrivals building at Waterloo International Airport was officially open for business.
The move was just one of several which are a part of the $35-million facelift that the airport is undergoing.
“An expanded domestic air terminal will help the airport to comfortably and reliably accommodate the increasing number of travelers arriving to and departing from the Region of Waterloo,” Kitchener MP Tim Louis stated.
The region says it is expecting 700,000 travellers to pass through the airport this year.
It believes the new building will help improve the passenger experience as it deals with increased volumes created by Flair Airlines.
The new domestic arrivals building will allow three Boeing 737 aircraft to arrive at the airport simultaneously with two of those being domestic while a third would be international.
“As a result of the Airport Master Plan adopted by Council in 2017 and Flair Airlines’ increased service, the airport is expanding and has added over 500 jobs,” Region Chair Karen Redman stated.
The five-stage $375-million plan will see each new stage triggered once the airport reaches a pre-set annual passenger volume.
In July, the next phase of construction will see the existing terminal building reconfigured in a measure that the region says will also improve the traveller’s experience.
The measures will add self-service kiosks and common-use airline counters as well as a third security line and a new baggage system to streamline baggage handling.