A complete transformation from what we know
“We will be a revolutionising the space available for travelers", Sveinbjörn Indriðason, CEO of Isavia, says in an interview in Dagmál, Morgunblaðið’s news and current affairs program, about the first phase of the east wing of Keflavík Airport, the Austurálma, which will be put into use late this year.
The east wing is actually the first step in the construction of a new terminal building, currently being designed. The new building, The East Wing, is scheduled to start operating in 2029, according to Sveinbjörn Indriðason: "The project is actually planned to be the heart of the airport, where people enter and leave for their connections and flights. The east wing opens up quite interesting opportunities regarding retail and restaurant business at the Keflavík airport.”
Construction is currently underway on the east wing of Keflavík Airport and it will be put into use in stages. The first phase should be ready by the end of this year and includes improved facilities for baggage reception in a new arrivals hall. In the next phase, which will be put into usein the following twelve months after that, an expansion of the restaurant area and the arrivals shop of the free port will be added, as well as four new gangways and two bus gates. "The baggage claim hall will be a revolution from what we know now and in the next twelve months after that what remains of that project will be operational."
Sveinbjörn said that with the development that is currently taking place, the airport will be better equipped to receive travelers in the coming years and fulfill its role as a connecting point between Europe and America, with an improved level of service and facilities at the airport. He pointed out that it is estimated that around 7.8 million passengers will pass through the airport this year, which would then be the third largest since its inception. "It's only the years 2017 and 2018 that have been bigger. In 2018, 9.8 million passengers passed through the airport. It's just that there were too many passengers going through the airport at that time."