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Domestic Airports - Preparing for the rush –
F
rom new routes and self-service baggage drops to passenger lounges with organic spas, the UK's airports have been investing heavily in new facilities to cater for record demand, says Kathryn Liston
Passenger numbers were up at the majority of UK airports last year. For example, Stansted recorded a 12% increase, Luton was up 8.1% and Birmingham increased by 6.5%. At Luton Airport (
london-luton.co.uk), a £100 million redevelopment programme will increase capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers a year. Last year it received a record 10.5 million passengers. Work recently started on a new-look
terminal with more shopping and eating options and a new executive lounge with spa. Transport links are also being improved. New fl ights this year include Air Nostrum to Vigo, north-west Spain, and La Compagnie’s all business-class service to Newark-New York, which begins on April 24. Gatwick Airport (
gatwickairport.com) is mid-way through a £2.2bn investment programme that includes a refurbished departure lounge in
the South Terminal plus new Premium lounge, pier and baggage storage area. The North Terminal’s new check-in area includes the world’s largest self-service bag drop, plus there is a refurbished departure lounge and new security area that can process 5,000 passengers an hour. Work will begin on a £120-million revamp
of the railway station in 2017. From November 2016, airlines will operate
out of single terminals. EasyJet will consolidate services in the North Terminal while British Airways will operate from the South Terminal. Vietnam Airlines moved from Gatwick to Heathrow last month and will begin fl ying 787-9 Dreamliners to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from July 2015. Aeromexico will deploy Dreamliners on the Mexico City-Heathrow service this spring.
A third Plaza Premium lounge (plaza-network.
com) with organic spa will open at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 this month. Prices start at £25 and include complimentary food, drinks and a shower. Plaza Premium opened two lounges in Terminal 2 last year. Plaza Premium lounges and Number 1 lounges can be booked through Holiday Extras (
holidayextras.co.uk). Stansted Airport (
stanstedairport.com) is in the
fi nal phase of a £80-million terminal upgrade which includes new bars, shops, restaurants, seating area and Escape passenger lounge. New services this year include Thomas Cook to the USA and Mexico and Flybe to the Isle of Man, Newcastle and Newquay. At Edinburgh Airport (
edinburghairport.com) a
four-year £50-million airside investment programme will see the creation of a second immigration hall and baggage reclaim area that can cater for bigger long-haul aircraft, new aircraft stands and air bridges. The terminal was extended late last year. The airport is also increasing its links to the Middle East. Qatar Airways will fl y daily to Doha from May 1 and Etihad Airways will begin fl ights to Abu Dhabi on June 8. Bristol Airport (
bristolairport.co.uk) is undergoing
sellingtravel.co.uk
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