Trudeau airport unveils bigger, brighter international wing

Trudeau airport has inaugurated its $350 million, 20,000-square metre expansion of its international wing.

The project has been underway for years, and now that it's complete it has added six boarding gates for the larger planes now making international flights, such as the Airbus 380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Passengers waiting to board can also shop at the new stores and restaurants, which airport officials said were chosen to give more of a "Montreal feel" to the terminal.

Those Montreal-esque touches include local brands such as Auberge St. Gabriel, Queue de Cheval, and a (permanently parked) food truck, as well as international chain restaurants.

Aerports de Montreal CEO James Cherry said he is glad the airport can now handle more passengers.

"We're adding some capacity, but we're catching up a bit too with what we should have had a few years ago. The growth has been quicker than we've anticipated. It's a good thing. We're not complaining" said Cherry.

"We've actually had more passenger growth than we anticipated, so it's been absolutely essential. We also expect that that growth is going to continue," he said.

But continuing with the Montreal theme, construction on a new project will soon begin at the airport.

Building of the much-delayed new road from the Dorval Circle is supposed to resume this year and be ready by the end of 2017. Other road work will be necessary around two hotels and roads near the airport, and that will last until 2019.

In addition, the light rail line connecting the airport to downtown Montreal is supposed to be operational by 2020, even though the route for the Metropolitan Electric Network is nowhere near being finalized.

As for the airport itself, Cherry said the ADM is considering updating the main entrance for the arrivals and departures building.

"We want people to come into our airport and say 'This is definitely Montreal,'" said Cherry.

That work to the facade -- and possibly much more -- would begin next year and finish in 2020.