Ground-breaking Ceremony Launches Construction Start of Frankfurt Airport's New Terminal 3

Frankfurt (ots) - 400 Fraport employees share in milestone
ceremony - Terminal 3 secures Frankfurt Airport's future
competiveness - First phase for up to 14 million passengers annually
to be inaugurated in 2022

More than 400 employees of Fraport AG simultaneously performed the
symbolic first cut of the spade today, marking the ground-breaking
and start of construction for Frankfurt Airport's new Terminal 3.
This symbolic act has set the stage for securing the future
competitiveness of Frankfurt Airport and, consequently, new job
opportunities in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region. The delegation
participating in the ceremony included the State of Hesse prime
minister Volker Bouffier, Frankfurt am Main's city treasurer Uwe
Becker, Fraport AG's entire executive board and its supervisory board
chairman Karlheinz Weimar. The 200 guests in attendance included many
leading political and business representatives, such as secretary of
state Mathias Samson from the Hessian economics, energy, transport
and regional development ministry.

Speaking at the milestone ceremony, Fraport AG's executive board
chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte stated: "Terminal 3 will meet the highest
demands for service and quality. As Germany's most important airport
- particularly for intercontinental flights - Frankfurt will be able
to continue offering first-class services and modern infrastructure
to our passengers and Germany's export-driven economy. Terminal 3
will also serve as an attractive showcase for the entire
Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region. Construction of this outstanding
facility will ensure that Frankfurt remains Germany's Gateway to the
World."

State of Hesse prime minister Volker Bouffier added: "The
construction of Terminal 3 is an important step in ensuring Frankfurt
Airport's future viability and, thus, Hesse's position as a leading
economic location in the world. Fraport AG's massive investment of
EUR2.5 to EUR3 billion in the new terminal is creating significant
added value for the region, which deserves our respect. Furthermore,
as one of the largest infrastructure projects in Germany, Terminal 3
will allow Hesse's Gateway to the World to remain a key global
aviation hub, where existing jobs will be strengthened and new ones
added. Consequently, Frankfurt Airport will continue to serve as a
vital economic engine. The Hesse government remains committed to
helping Germany's largest and most important airport, so that
Frankfurt Airport can continue to be beneficial to our economic
location - securing many thousands of jobs, while further reducing
the airport's environmental impact on the region."

The first phase of the innovative and sustainable Terminal 3
complex - which will be able to serve up to 14 million passengers per
year - will be erected by 2022 at the south of Frankfurt Airport
(FRA). Current passenger capacity in Terminals 1 and 2 will be
exceeded soon because of the continuing increase in passenger traffic
at the FRA global aviation hub. The challenging Terminal 3 project
will require seven years of construction. Therefore, it is paramount
to commence the project now. With Terminal 3, the Frankfurt Airport
company will elevate its high quality and service requirements to new
levels.

At the ground-breaking event, Fraport AG's supervisory board
chairman Karlheinz Weimar said: "Our future Terminal 3 will
strengthen Frankfurt Airport's competitive position internationally.
With my many years of experience at Fraport, which is regarded as one
of the world's most successful airport operators, I am certain that
this ambitious project will be realized on time and on budget.
Fraport has tremendous expertise for creating passenger terminals,
ranging from Pier A-Plus in Frankfurt to the recently constructed new
terminals in St. Petersburg, Varna and Burgas - as well as passenger
terminals previously built in Delhi and Antalya."

The first construction phase, which has officially been launched
now, will include the main terminal building and two piers to serve
up to 14 million passengers per year. At a later date, two more piers
can be added to expand the overall capacity of Terminal 3 to some 25
million passengers per year. By installing a new SkyLine people-mover
system to link Terminal 3 with the existing terminals at the north
side of FRA, Fraport will ensures the best transfer options and
optimal intermodal connections for all passengers and guests.

The spacious Terminal 3 will feature impressive dimensions and
architecture. The basic surface area of the new terminal comprises
about 90,000 square meters - equivalent to about 19 football fields.
The terminal hall has an exterior height of 33 meters and a clear
interior height of 20 meters, which promises a unique spatial
experience for passengers. The hall will offer space for up to four
check-in areas with a total of 104 counters, up to 54 baggage
drop-off machines and, initially, some 40 ticket counters - which can
be increased depending on future requirements. Terminal 3 will offer
29 security control positions for departing and transfer passengers,
and 10 baggage claim belts for arriving passengers.

Continuing the nomination of the existing piers at FRA North, the
two new piers at Terminal 3 will be called 'H' and 'J', which will be
400 and 600 meters long respectively. Encased with glass on both
outer sides, the Terminal 3 piers will provide a total of 24 urgently
needed aircraft docking positions - including 20 positions designed
for wide-body jets like the Airbus A380 superjumbo and the Boeing
747. With a total investment volume of EUR2.5 to EUR3 billion,
Terminal 3 is a significant infrastructure project that will benefit
the local building industry and the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region.

Dr. Schulte emphasized the importance of the Terminal 3 project:
"After more than 15 years of intensive planning, approval and
verification, we are today pleased to commence construction of the
new Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport. This terminal will secure the
international competitiveness of Germany's largest aviation hub,
which will result in the creation of new jobs and opportunities for
our employees. Furthermore, Terminal 3 will stimulate economic
prosperity in the entire Frankfurt region and beyond. Along with our
jubilation for the new Terminal 3, we will not lose sight of our role
as an international leader in noise abatement. In the years to come,
we will not relent with our commitment to noise abatement
activities."

You can find further information in our online press kit at
http://www.fraport.com/en/press-center.html.

Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are
available for free downloading via the photo library located in our
Press Center on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information
broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for
downloading.

Pressekontakt:
Fraport AG
Robert A. Payne
International Spokesman
Press Office, Corp. Communications
60547 Frankfurt, Germany
Telephone: +49 69 690-78547
E-mail: r.payne@fraport.de
Internet: www.fraport.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport