A new transport hub at Auckland airport is aimed at eliminating the chaotic introduction many visitors get to New Zealand.
The $300 million hub will double the capacity for pick up and drop off with 320 metres of undercover curbside parking.
"We've got enormous amounts of capacity for commercial transport, taxis and rideshare. It's just going to be a completely different outcome for the visitors who come to the airport," Auckland Airport chief financial officer Mark Thomson said.
ATEED's bus drivers were on Wednesday familiarising themselves with the 320-metre undercover drop-off and pick-up zone, with an admin centre upstairs and three stories of car parks.
"More cars, less congestion, but it's undercover," Auckland Airport CEO Carrie Hurihanganui said. "You don't have to rush because you are getting drenched with rain and again it's right there on the doorstep of the terminal."
On the roof are 1.2 Megawatts of solar panels to power EV charging stations and rainwater tanks to provide non-drinking water and irrigation for plants.
The airport is still planning for the Mass Rapid Transport terminus to the north of the building even though there are no current plans for a link to the city centre.
"We've protected that corridor because our view is that, as Auckland continues to grow, there is going to be a point where we have to have that as an option," Hurihanganui said.
It's just stage one. The next step is to start integrating the domestic terminal with the international one, dumping the famous open air green line route between terminals and taking out iffy Auckland weather from the arrival experience for a few moments at least.
The transport hub will begin operating next Wednesday.
