The second terminal has been designed to accommodate 12 million passengers, on top of the 32 million the airport now handles. The new terminal will be about 330,000 square meters and will have an underground garage able to handle 4,400 cars. The terminal has an open design, featuring glass walls, a high, vaulted ceiling and large glass panels on the roof that admit natural light. When the second terminal comes into service, Payne said, Frankfurt will have the flexibility to carry out major renovations on the original terminal. Any more would be disruptive to daily business.
Space is at a premium at Frankfurt.
In order to make way for Terminal 2, the airport had to tear down some existing buildings. Manchester Airport obtained the money for its new terminal through borrowing by the 10 local authorities that own it. These loans must be approved by the central government in London, as they are counted against public sector borrowing. As a privatized company, BAA does not face this restriction. The borrowing process worked well, according to Taylor.