Queenstown Airport's new terminal will be officially opened 20 years to the day it welcomed its first direct international flight.
The landmark flight carried 80 passengers from Sydney on July 1, 1995.
The airport's general manager at the time, Chris Read, said the budget for the first international terminal was $13,000.
In the first year there was only one international flight a week, and when one was due, an arrivals ''hall'' was set up in an old baggage claim area open to the elements.
''It was very ad hoc, but it worked really well.''
Screens were pulled down, partitions erected and desks wheeled in for staff. A kerosene burner was used to provide some warmth, but had to be switched off when the Customs dog was working because it upset its sense of smell.
To get there, passengers would sometimes have to walk in snow from the aircraft, and picked up their bags from trolleys.
