We all knew it was imminent, and now Brisbane Airport Corporation has made the exciting announcement that the open date for the highly anticipated second runway will be Sunday, 12 July this year, reports brisbanedevelopment.com.au.

The discussions for the new runway begun nearly half a century ago, with the actual physical construction taking eight years.  It is expected the project will come in $200 million under the original budgeted figure of $1.1 billion. 

Gert-Jan de Graaff, BAC Chief Executive Officer told the publication the opening announcement was a massive milestone for our city. 

“I am proud to have been part of an iconic project that will transform and provide unlimited opportunities for our city, region and state.

“It’s surreal to think we are just months away from seeing the first aircraft land and depart on this infrastructure masterpiece.

“The new runway is so much more than asphalt; it is an enabler for growth across all facets, with an estimated 7,800 new jobs created by 2035 and an additional five billion in annual economic benefit to the region,” said Mr de Graaff.

A 5.5km fun run and a community open day will be held in coming months to commemorate the success of the project. 

Hannah Schuhmann said with direct flights to San Francisco, Chicago and the Philippines, and also increased capacity to bring more freight in and out of Brisbane, we expect a flow on effect for businesses to expand and ultimately boost our economy.