Smoking Areas Built in Airport Area

For those people who get frustrated at having to hold their breath as they race past the just-arrived smokers at the entrance to the Perth Airport, clean air is not too far away. A purpose built smoking area is being built at the domestic terminal of Perth Airport to create a cleaner entrance and exit and provide a dedicated area for smokers. Construction has begun at the southern end of terminal three, the terminal that houses Virgin Australia and other smaller airlines and the area is expected to be in use next month While the spokeswoman would not say what the facility would look like, she said it would be 44 square metres in size and would have capacity for about 60 people. Smokers will be able to monitor flights on screens in the area and will also have access to vending machines. The smoking area is part of a plan to make the entire front section of all of the airport’s terminals smoke-free. A Perth Airport spokeswoman said management were committed to the provision of a safe and pleasant environment for passengers, visitors, staff and contractors. “We are currently working toward achieving smoke-free forecourts,” she said. A temporary smoking area is operating at the international terminal on the forecourt between the departures and arrivals areas. More smokers’ facilities are expected to be created as part of what the Perth Airport spokeswoman called a staged transition. “We do not want to simply shift the problem from one area to another by banning smoking,” she said. She said when considering the location and design of the facility a number of factors were taken into account. These included the need to minimise passive smoking, the facility’s proximity to, and visibility from, the terminals and ease of cleaning and maintenance.