Airport cafe moves

Press, 20 July 1988, Page 8

Airport cafe moves

Part of the domestic terminal at Christchurch Airport will have to be demolished on Friday night to make way for two escalators that will fill this space in the concourse. The escalators being shipped from Malaysia will ferry domestic passengers from the ground floor to the first-floor cafeteria. The cafeteria has been relocated from its ground-floor position to give travellers more space on the ground floor. The airport’s engineering manager, Mr Vic

Allen, said walls, doors and windows in the domestic terminal would have to ‘ be removed on Friday night after the last flight to allow the escalators to be craned into the building. “It is going to be a bit of an act,” Mr Allen said. It would take most of the night. All going well, the escalators should be in place by the time the first Saturday passengers arrive, about 5.30 a.m. The escalators were

bought from a Malaysian firm because it was the only company that tendered for the contract which already had the machinery assembled. This meant there would be less delay before the escalators could be installed at the airport.

The new cafeteria, restaurant and the escalator were part of the airport’s $10.2 million refurbishment of the concourse which is expected to be completed by Christmas.