Study and design of a low-cost terminal expansion for Barcelona airport's T1 to provide a short/medium term solution for future passenger growth

Abstract

This thesis presents a feasibility study of short- and medium-term airside infrastructure expansion alternatives for Terminal 1 at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN), addressing the operational constraints posed by sustained passenger growth and a shortage of wide-body-compatible connected stands. This research explores solutions within the existing airport infrastructure to improve Level of Service (LoS) and operational flexibility. The methodology begins with an analysis of flight schedule data from a peak summer week in 2025, identifying three distinct traffic peaks and quantifying stand demand by aircraft type. The study reveals that relocating an entire airline alliance from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 could alleviate short-term pressure by optimizing underutilized infrastructure. This operational strategy is complemented by a medium-term design phase, which evaluates three expansion zones: two remote stand areas and one storage zone adjacent to gate A01/parking stand 200. The design proposals incorporate ICAO-compliant aircraft dimensions and requirements for Schengen/non-Schengen passenger flow separation. The spatial feasibility of each zone is assessed, including the potential to even accommodate Code F aircraft such as the A380-800 and 747-8 in select apron areas. The proposed configurations yield up to 15 new connected wide-body and 21 connected narrow-body stands, increasing T1's totals to 28 and 68 respectively. Including remote stands near Terminal 2, the airport's wide-body capacity could reach 43 stands, positioning BCN to meet current and projected demand. Passenger flow solutions are also considered, ranging from shuttle transfers to underground corridors and elevated skybridges. While further analysis is needed, the study confirms that all proposed designs are spatially viable and environmentally compatible. The findings suggest that infrastructure expansion, paired with operational improvements such as scheduling and turnaround coordination, offers a robust pathway to enhance service quality and accommodate future growth.