At least four airlines are planned to use the modified Taipa Ferry Terminal (TFT) on becoming an auxiliary passenger terminal for the Macau International Airport (MIA), the Macau Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) announced on Thursday.
The modified TFT will be seamlessly connected to the MIA and is expected to handle 1.5 to 2 million passengers annually.
The MIA handled 9.6 million passengers in 2019, with over 77,580 aircraft movements, an increase of 16 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
As the AACM expects continued growth in air traffic, the current passenger terminals available at the MIA have been “saturated and the unavailability of space in passenger terminal need to be addressed.”
With TFT’s close proximity to the airport, the remodelling plans will “surely [help increase] the overall capacity of the passenger terminal and improving the overall spatial condition and level of services,” said the AACM.
The planned auxiliary passenger terminal will include 12 to 16 check-in counters, 4 boarding gates and floor area equivalent to one-quarter of the current TFT’s waiting lounge.
Four waiting lounges and their adjacent commercial shops on the TFT’s East wing on the first floor will be used as both a new security checkpoint and a new departure lounge. This will approximately take up 5,100 square metres.
The TFT’s existing east departure hall on the East wing’s first floor will become a new check-in area.
The arrival hall and arrival immigration area on the East wing’s ground floor will be modified into a baggage handling area.
A section of about 660 metres along the dedicated airport access road will extend from the TFT to the airport apron, becoming an airport restricted area.
Departures and arrivals will go through check-in, baggage check-in and claim, security check, immigration and customs procedures inside the auxiliary terminal.
This new plan for the auxiliary passenger terminal will “enhance the sea-air intermodal transportation services between the ports,” said the statement, not requiring air-to-sea or sea-to-air passengers to go through immigration and customs procedures.
The AACM, Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) and the MIA are finalising the actual scope of remodelling. Afterwards, MIA will proceed with further operational flow design.
PHOTOS © Macau Civil Aviation Authority (AACM)
