Starting as an idea nearly 30 years ago, newly named Centrair (the
Central Japan International Airport) is scheduled to open Feb. 17
with plans to serve the 10 million people in the Nagoya area of
Aichi Prefecture and transport millions of expected visitors to the
upcoming locally hosted World Exposition in Aichi. However, the new
airport plans to do more than just transport people by focusing on
visitor comfort and valuable services.
Some of Centrair’s expected benefits include 24-hour airport
service, which offers a greater range of scheduling and helps
create space for oversized cargo and freight planes to arrive and
depart without interfering with passenger flights. New 3,500-
meter-long runways further promote heavily fueled long-haul flights
to the U.S. and southern Europe and new A380 jumbo passenger planes
that require longer takeoff and landing strips.
Visitors can expect a compact airport floor plan eliminating
excessive walking, domestic and international flights are in the
same structure to reduce passenger transit and utilize specially
designed “moving” sidewalks wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs
and other special-needs passengers. Centrair boasts that visitors
never need walk more than 300 meters to get to any gait from the
terminal’s hub.
Beyond the needs of transportation, the Central Japan
International Airport will host over 15,000 square meters of
shopping, activities and restaurants in which to serve its new
clientele. Airport planners did their homework when looking to
please future business passengers. Wireless LAN service connection
is free of charge at 15 locations within terminal confines with
additional coin-operated Internet stations at six locations
throughout the Passenger Terminal Building. Moreover, copying, fax,
conference rooms, computer and mobile phone rental, digital
processing of documents and photos, and the capability of
interpretation and translation in 10 languages are also
available.
Travelers with family will find bathrooms equipped with changing
tables, children’s sized facilities and hot water for disinfecting
baby items. Other amenities include five separate depots for baby
carriage rental and a “Kid’s Square.”
On the fourth floor, jet-lagged guests can explore the
“Relaxation Zone” for revitalization options. This facility offers
baths, messages, hair styling and beds.
The Central Japan International Airport is constructed on an
artificial island in Ise Bay, off the coast of Tokoname. This is
Japan’s third offshore airport, following the steps of Nagasaki
Airport and Kansai International in Osaka, and is located 35
kilometers south of Nagoya and 170 miles southwest of Tokyo.
Although airport promoters faced some challenges by local
fishermen and environmentalists during the construction process,
Centrair expects to become Japan’s third busiest international
airport, after Narita in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, and
Kansai in Osaka Prefecture and opens with a 4,000-car parking
capacity and an expansion to 6,000 depending on future need.
www.centrair.jp/en/index.html
