The public procurement notice has been published for construction of a pier offering 27 new boarding gates and 10 new bridges to be connected with Terminal 2B of Ferenc Liszt International Airport. The investment will cost an estimated HUF 5.2 billion and add 10,000 square metres to the current passenger area.
Building work is expected to begin next January and take 18 months to complete. The 220-metre-long wing will significantly increase boarding gate capacity. The new Pier B is designed to meet the increased demand for wide-body stands.
The public procurement notice was published on TED, the electronic tender bulletin of the European Union, on April 30. The biggest winners of the extension will be passengers, who will have a much more spacious and convenient waiting area before boarding.
In line with current trends, Pier B will offer maximum flexibility, as each gate will enable boarding via bridge, bus or by a short walk. The facility will be able to serve both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, and depending on aircraft size it will offer an increased number of stands in certain configurations.
In designing Pier B, Budapest Airport has put emphasis on functionality, passenger convenience and best value, while preserving the overall architectural coherence of the terminal. The wing will also feature a combination of concrete, steel and glass, and its aesthetic characteristics will be a mixture of those of SkyCourt, completed over five years ago, and the even earlier Terminal 2B.
Interior finishes will mirror SkyCourt, for example the floor tiling, whereas the outer aluminium panels will harmonise with the façade of Terminal 2B.
“The current passenger traffic growth experienced at Budapest Airport as well as the expected forecasts for the years ahead has encouraged us to bring forward capacity development projects,” Budapest Airport Chief Executive Officer Jost Lammers said. “Budapest Airport has won the Skytrax award for Best Airport in the region for the third consecutive year, and is starting to develop the terminal for future growth with perfect timing.
“Pier B is part of the development strategy to improve the capacity whilst ensuring great passenger experience to help us maintain our regional leading position among airports handling over ten million passengers per year.”
