Thanks, GnRdL, for the photograph. I thought a rail station was already built underneath the new terminal. If this is not the case, I'd be amazed at the power of stories which circulate and assume the status "truth"!
I suppose a Cercanias operation makes sense as the existing Alicante-Elche/Elx line is quite close and the TRAM proposal never, as far as I am aware, got past the "study" phase.
I understand that Alacant Terminal station is to be completely rebuilt to accommodate AVE high speed trains but given the current (and future?) austerity one might wonder if any of this will now take place.
Public transport to/from the airport is much better than a few years ago. Buses to the city are now every 20 minutes (from one every 40 mins) and there are connections to Elche (a large city in its own right) whilst Alsa now provides services to points farther afield.