Project Description
It is always our aim to build long-term relationships with the team at any airport – with Malta being a great example. Our work together over nearly 15 years has culminated in a phased approach to the future.
Our initial appointment was in 2007 and at that time, the airport was relatively small and handling only 2.7 million passengers per annum. Passenger projections estimate that by 2030 this will increase to 12 million passengers. This growth has been generated by a number of factors including historic & archeological tourism, the increase in students coming to study English and the development of the island in terms of the regeneration of Valletta with an increasing number of hotel rooms.
We have worked together with the airport to respond to the very positive passenger growth numbers. Every project has involved our planning of operational aspects of the airport development, as well as growing the commercial space to develop the non-aviation revenues.
THE ORIGINAL TERMINAL
Malta International Airport was constructed on a sloping site, with the main car park at the lowest level. At the level above, the drop off road feeds into the check-in and arrivals hall. The main departures level sits above check-in, at the same level as the apron. The landside space was designed with an open courtyard either side of the check-in and arrivals hall. Having checked-in, passengers would travel via escalator to the link to the departure area. The duty free shop was almost invisible, with passengers entering centrally and not aware of any of the commercial space towards either Schengen or non-Schengen departure areas.
2009 COURTYARD INFILL
With both security and the commercial areas undersized, it was decided to infill the central courtyard to create a new security area at the check-in and arrrivals level. This enabled the same area at departure level to be used to create a new walk-through duty free shop and airline lounges. These facilities opened in 2009.
2017 RELOCATION OF SECURITY
After further passenger growth, all operational aspects of the terminal became under pressure. There was a requirement for additional check-in desks, more security machines, additional immigration desks and an expansion to the non-schengen area. The airline lounge was re-located to a landside facility above the departure level and by infilling the void over the arrivals hall, the duty free shop was re-configured to free up space for a new security area. Having moved security to the departure level, the space below was used to expand the check-in hall. A further expansion to the west enabled the remainder of the operational requirements to be met in time for the full completion of the project in 2017.
2030 RELOCATION OF SECURITY
As with any airport, the future needs to be planned for and looking forward, the traffic forecasts show that passenger numbers are projected to grow to 12 million passengers by 2030. To achieve this growth, every aspect of the terminal’s operations need to expand. An eastern extension will allow for the expansion of check-in, the airside departure lounge and additional gates. By re-locating the drop off road at the centre of the terminal to the north, a larger security area can be accommodated as well as additional landside retail. A further expansion to the west will allow for additional baggage reclaim belts, and at apron level, larger non-Schengen departures, immigration and transfer areas. At the centre of the departure lounge, the current office area above has been planned for additional food & beverage areas as well as airline lounges.
