It's easy to see there's a lot happening at the Whitehorse International Airport these days and will be until 2010.

As work to both sections of the parking lots continue, international passengers arriving in Whitehorse and continuing on to Alaska have been de-planing and waiting in the temporary lounge area that was set up in the spring before the first Condor flight from Germany arrived, airport manager John Rogers said this morning.

Meanwhile, the proposed design of the terminal expansion is almost complete and plans are underway for new water and sewer services.

The temporary lounge, at a cost of $300,000 for the building itself and another $175,000 for a fence to protect against blasts from planes, was developed after the Canadian Border Services Agency changed regulations around international flights.

'It was a scramble,' Rogers said, noting everyone seemed to work well together to have the lounge ready when the first Condor flight arrived in late May.

While the temporary lounge is in place, the design for the terminal expansion is almost ready to go to the Yukon government's management board for approval.

Rogers said he still remains hopeful base work on the expansion may be able to get started this year, though it will depend on the process. Provided it stays on schedule the expansion should be complete in 2010.

Premier Dennis Fentie announced the $6-million expansion of the terminal in the 2007-2008 budget along with another $3.2 million to finish the airport parking lot expansion and other work which began last year when it was expanded.

This year, crews are putting in electrical services and paving the gravel pad that was put down last year.

When all is said in done, Rogers noted, there will be improved access, better parking stalls and areas set aside for buses, cabs and the like.

'It'll be just like down south,' Rogers said with a laugh.

And just like in the south, Yukoners will no longer be on the honour system for parking. While parking has been free while the parking lot is being worked on, it normally costs $1.50 per day though it's not enforced.

Rogers noted the improvements will mean the parking fees will now be required.

The new water and sewer services will help airtanker fire bombers that are stationed in the southwest area of the airport.

Finally, more space for ground movement of planes will also be put in place as the airport continues its work.

Rogers, who's been working at the airport for the last five years, noted this is the most work he's seen the government fund there.

'The need has to be identified,' he said, pointing out that as the government establishes priorities with each budget, this seemed to be the airport's turn.