Stage 1 of the 2007-2015 master plan has materialised with the enlargement and renovation of terminal T1. The “T1+” project was in fact started to meet predicted growth of air traffic, to streamline passenger flows and improve passenger comfort, by extending and developing the terminal on three levels: arrivals, check-in and departures.

As a result of the extension works, the total area of the Airport has grown by 40%. The main achievements are:

• Arrivals level: creation of an area for car rental companies, a food and snack outlet, and new bars and restaurants.
• Check-in level: creation of 13 additional check-in desks and a new baggage sorting infrastructure that streamlines passenger flows of and will enables GVA to handle the increase in traffic in coming years.
• Departures level: creation of a centralised security checkpoint (CSC) that concentrates in one place all the filter control points, and creation of a modern and varied restaurant area, and also a totally renovated area specifically for shops.

Centralised security checks

One notable element forming part of the T1+ project is the establishment of the Centralised Security Checkpoint (CSC). This centralises security controls at the entrance to the transit sector and no longer, as was the case before, at each boarding area.

Schengen agreements

The T1+ project has also permitted implementation of the Schengen Agreements. These agreements do away with identity checks for passengers travelling to and from 13 countries of the European Union and Switzerland, or just over 50% of passengers at GVA. Passenger flows had to be reorganised to separate Schengen from non-Schengen passengers. One of the measures taken to comply with these new regulations was the construction of satellite 10, with its two levels of adaptable boarding lounges that could be converted into Schengen or non-Schengen areas as needed.

Preparatory work for the major East Wing project, designed to host jumbo aircraft, starts at the beginning of 2011. An initial step is first to obtain building permits and to study various procedures. The construction phase will start in 2012 and completion is scheduled for 2015.

The architectural design was the subject of an international competition and the final design selected will be unveiled at the beginning of 2011.

The aim of the project is to modernize airport infrastructure to the east of the main building, which hosts mainly jumbo jets. A building with an area of 40,000m2 will be built. It has six slots for jumbo jets (E code), three of which can be split into two to accommodate two lower-category (C code) aircraft. In addition, a seventh (C code) slot will be created. In total, it will be possible to accommodate up to 10 aircraft.

This future building will be 530 metres long, about thirty metres wide and fifteen metres high; total investment is in the region of CHF 300 million.