New terminal announced for Nice Côte d’Azur airport

The new terminal is set to open in 2019 Copyright Olivier Baquet

Situated between the current terminal 2 and the Var river, T3 will primarily welcome low-cost flights operators, such as easyJet, who want to speed up their turn-arounds between flights. EasyJet has said that they do not want to have any one plane landed for longer than 25 minutes before its next flight path and therefore wish to implement a method for passengers to save time when boarding.

A pre-boarding room is set to be included in the plans, grouping passengers together more efficiently before boarding their flight. Between seven and nine new shuttle buses will run from T3 to the aeroplanes, eliminating the need for a footbridge.

The airport says the major infrastructure works will cost 80 million euros.

Passenger volume is expected to rise by 20 per cent come 2016, taking the annual amount of passengers passing through France's second biggest airport to 12.5 million. Air traffic increased by 8.5 per cent in 2011 while 105 direct destination flights operated from the Riviera airport.

Spread over 30,000 squared metres, the new terminal will cater to an additional four million passengers each year. However, currently standing at twice as less expensive per square metre than the terminal 2 extension, T3 will be a little less luxurious than Nice Côte d'Azur's previous developments.

Consequently, passengers can expect to pay up to 25 per cent less in flight fees.

President of the Société des Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur Hervé de Place spoke confidently of the new developments at January's meeting, assuring that a high level of customer service will remain despite the changes.

"The aim of T3 is to simplify the existing airport and target overcrowding. Low-cost flights are going to particularly benefit, but the same high quality service will exist."

Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi is also heavily backing the project, saying that it will boost the struggling job market. "T3 could generate many jobs for companies. If greater comfort and ease is going to be given to passengers, it makes sense. Meanwhile, more airlines will be welcomed to the airport, bringing more flight paths to the region."

Air France is currently re-examining its prices in order to compete with cheaper flight operators and to be a part of the new T3 developments. EasyJet and Air France are set to be the two biggest airlines involved in the T3 project, with an announcement in autumn 2011 that the two companies were proposing new flight paths from the Nice hub.

The date of completion for the ambitious project is likely to be around 2019 with work set to begin in 2016.

Terminal 3 will compliment Nice Côte d'Azur's other recent developments, such as the P6 parking facilities and the 2000-space Car Rental Centre which were both completed in 2011.

On 30th July 2011, Nice Côte d'Azur smashed its own records, welcoming 43,762 passengers in one day into the airport. 60 per cent of flights leaving Nice Côte d'Azur last year were international. Popular destinations included Scandinavia and the Netherlands.

Louise Kirby