On 23 January, Nice-Côte d'Azur airport officials unveiled what could be a major step in the development of the Nice hub: a third terminal capable of handling an additional 4 million passengers a year. Scheduled for completion in 2018 or 2019, the new 30,000 sq. metre structure will mainly target low-cost airlines, as well as Air France's new regional base. The project is based in particular on the very good results of 2011, which was a record year in terms of passenger traffic (10.4 million passengers), destinations served (105) and airlines (59). Nice Airport intends to adapt to this growth by reducing the time aircraft spend parked on the ground. Terminal 3 must offer direct connections between the aircraft and the hub, to speed up aircraft turnaround. The project, estimated at €80 million, will now be studied and debated during 2012.
