Brisbane Airport chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaf said the new terminal was likely to be a mix of domestic and international and new transport options would be separate to the existing train travel through the Air Train.

However, the direct link between the airport Gold Coast won’t survive Cross River Rail and would force passengers to change trains at central.

De Graaf said Brisbane Airport was working with the State Government on mass transport options and connectivity to the two coasts and the city was important for the Olympics.

There has been a push to develop electric air taxis as an option but de Graaf, who was speaking at the Illuminate travel industry conference did not elaborate on plans. Air taxis were also unlikely to meet mass transport demands.

“We are now investing in a complete refurbishment of the domestic terminal and a complete overhaul of international processing,” he said.

There would be new car parks and a new retail area and biometrics was likely to play a big role in processing travellers.

Virgin managing director Jayne Hrdlicka said she expected leisure travel would survive any economic downturn and that the surge in travel experienced now was not a “sugar hit”.

She said leisure travellers may reduce their spend but not the amount of times they travelled.