WORK will start within weeks on the next stage of Brisbane Airport's long-awaited and desperately needed new runway. Airport chiefs this morning announced that a contract has been signed for dredging and land reclamation to prepare the swampy site and work will begin almost immediately. The Courier-Mail launched it's #bnelateagain campaign in March to highlight the chronic flight delays plaguing the airport and calling for a Gurantee that the new parallel runway would be finished by the 2020 target. Brisbane Airport Corporation chairman Bill Grant said today: "This is a clear signal that we are absolutely committed to building this critical piece of national infrastructure." Managing director Julieanne Alroe said when the $1.35 billion project is finished "Brisbane Airport will have a runway system with the capacity of major international airports like Hong Kong or Singapore." The 3.3km long strip, west of the existing main runway, will deliver a $5 billion a year boost to the Queensland economy once it is in use, say airport chiefs. Construction will create up to 2700 jobs. Acting Prime Minister Warren Truss said it was the biggest aviation infrastructure project in Australia since the country's major airports were privatized 15 years ago. No Federal Government money was being used. To operate an airport in a city like Brisbane is a privilege. So we expect there will be a delivery for the community from that privilege," Mr Truss said. The expectation of the Australian people is that the owners of these leases will exercise their rights and obligations to provide facilities like this. But Mr Truss urged Qantas to follow other airlines by striking a deal with BAC to contribute towards the cost of building the new runway. Mr Truss said he understood the frustration of passengers having been stranded in Brisbane overnight several times after late arrivals caused him to miss connecting flights. Mr Grant acknowledged that The Courier-Mail's #bnelateagain campaign had focused attention on securing solutions but said: "Brisbane Airport needed no pressure to get on with this runway." Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk called it "a great day" for the city and said the additional capacity was vital to support Brisbane's growth as a world city. Premier Cmpbell Newman sent his apologies as he is hosting the Queensland Plan summit. The additional runway has appeared in long-term plans for the airport for more than 15 years but was put on ice in 2009 as passenger and aircraft growth slowed after the Global Financial Crisis. Preliminary land-clearing and drainage work began in August. 2012 but doubts were thrown over the project in February when BAC said it could not commit to this $500 million phase without airlines agreeing to contribute a quarter of the total bill through higher landing charges over the eight- year construction period. Overnight it was reported, BRISBANE Airport chiefs will today announce they will build a new parallel runway within the decade to address the city's chronic flight congestion.