“The departures area beyond security will look a little different for a while as the refresh is undertaken. We will have a set of temporary walls put in place around areas in progress although there will be plenty of other areas to still hang out, eat and enjoy, it will be business as usual.”
Auckland Airport chief commercial officer Mark Thomson said there would be something for everyone in the revamped departures area. Photo / Michael Craig
Thomson said the work had been planned in stages so food options would remain available for travellers, with the intent of delivering a food court that is “fit for purpose for the years ahead”.
The refreshed area on level one will house about 10 new or refurbished dining options by the end of the year, bringing the total airside eateries to 15.
The project also introduces electric cooking in the airside dining precinct, building on the zero‑gas-cooking policy at nearby Mānawa Bay, the airport’s premium outlet centre, which opened in September 2024.
The long-term intent is to reduce gas-based kitchens and replace them with electric-based cooking, and the redevelopment seeks to achieve that in new tenancies and where electric can be retrofitted into some refurbished ones.
The level one food and beverage operators will also shift from disposable packaging and single-use items to reusable cutlery and crockery by default for dining-in customers, supported by an onsite back-of-house sorting and cleaning team.
The initiative will contribute to Auckland Airport’s target of reducing aeronautical waste to landfill by 20% by 2030, compared to a 2019 baseline.
Food and compostable packaging make up around 30-40% of all waste coming from terminal food and beverage outlets.
A spokesperson for Auckland Airport confirmed that not all kitchens would make the electric switch, noting some cuisines require gas for specific dishes.
Thomson said the commitment exemplified by operators at Mānawa Bay proved electric kitchens could deliver.
“Now we’re taking this as a blueprint for the international terminal and it’s shaping how we will roll out electric cooking at the airside dining precinct. We are delighted to see so much progress as part of this redevelopment as we are on this journey to phase out gas.
“We look forward to sharing more details on the concepts and operators in due course, in the meantime we can say we are working to create a compelling mix of international eateries and local food that we know our travellers want to see. There will be something on offer for everyone.”
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
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