The opening of Bristol Airport’s biggest ever terminal extension is just three weeks away as the first phase a 12 month construction programme nears completion. The first section of the £24 million facility, including a bigger and better security search area, will open on 18 July.
The Airport has experienced a very busy summer so far, with record passenger numbers expected throughout the holiday season. Combined with the temporary loss of space while construction work is underway, this has resulted in congestion in the terminal at the busiest times of day. This has been compounded by air traffic control strikes in France, Greece and Italy which have caused disruption across Europe, resulting in some delays at the UK border when flights have arrived off-schedule.
The 9,000 square metre terminal extension features state-of-the-art technology in a significantly enlarged security search area which will deliver a faster, more efficient service to departing passengers. The first tranche of new security lanes opens in mid-July ahead of the school summer holidays, with the remaining new lanes coming on line from the end of the month.