Construction work starts on Newcastle Airport upgrade project in Australia
TIN news: Construction work has begun on Newcastle Airport upgrade project in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, which will ready the airport for international flights.
The $850,000 upgrade project will also see the installation of additional security, passport and border force equipment.
The international flights to and from the airport will offer convenience and a wide range of economic benefits to surrounding regions, including the Central Coast, Hunter, and Mid North Coast.
The upgrade project will help generate up to 180 jobs during its construction phase, while up to 375 additional jobs will be created after the completion of the project.
The economic output of the Hunter region will increase by up to $147m, while wages and salaries will rise by up to $29m.
NSW Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said: “The estimated population serviced by the airport is 1.2 million people, which could open a major new market to carriers to offer local convenience for people travelling from north of Sydney to overseas destinations.”
Construction work on the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Last month, Ryanair announced two new winter routes from Newcastle airport to Faro and Madrid in Spain.
With the addition, the airline will operate ten routes in total, serving 750,000 customers annually and creating 560 new on-site job opportunities at the airport.