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LANCASHIRE LEADERS By Ged Henderson
Steve Peters at Blackpool Airport ON A NEW FLIGHT PATH
“If only I had a pound for every time someone asks me when the airport is going to re- open,” says Steve Peters with a wry smile.
The fact is Blackpool Airport is very much open and as its managing director Steve is determined it remains that way.
The 63-year-old New Zealander arrived in the town two years ago to lead a 10-year turnaround plan for Squires Gate facility, which is now gathering major momentum.
The airport has gone through some turbulent times. Blackpool Council reacquired it from infrastructure group Balfour Beatty in September 2017 for £4.25m, saving it from the risk of permanent closure and securing its future as part of the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.
Going back to the ‘is it open?’ question, Steve says: “What people mean is, when will we see the return of passenger flights?”
There haven’t been scheduled commercial flights out of Blackpool for a decade now. However, with around 40,000 aircraft movements a year – from training flights to corporate jets – the airport is still the 20th busiest in the country.
Corporate and executive aircraft flight numbers have taken off in recent years with ambitious plans to accelerate that growth further, helped by a planned new passenger handling facility that has just been given the green light.
It will allow the airport to grow the number of
corporate aircraft, executive and charter flights it can handle up to 45 passengers at a time. Steve describes it as a “major step forward” in the airport’s future.
He adds: “We’ve done a lot of work internally to make Blackpool an attractive airport once again, and we’re seeing the rewards of that with increased corporate and executive aircraft flights accommodating larger cabin class aircraft, and welcoming new customers to the airport for the first time.
Instead, it is likely to be in the form of regular selected domestic flights offering regional connectivity to the likes of the Isle of Man, Belfast and the City of London airport.
It is an aspiration that was given a boost by the government’s transport secretary Louise Haigh on a visit to Blackpool in September.
She said her department would be willing to work with partners to investigate future development at the airport, if there was “an appetite for commercial flights.”
This new facility will allow us to grow these
executive flights by numbers of movements and increased aircraft size by offering more space as well as improved security
“This new facility will allow us to grow these executive flights by numbers of movements and increased aircraft size by offering more space as well as improved security.
“The new building will provide a modern and welcoming environment that is more suitable as a first impression for departing or arriving visitors.”
A longer-term aim is the return of scheduled flights. Steve believes that will happen at some stage but stresses there is no likelihood of low- cost carriers coming back to Blackpool to jet people off to the Med.
Steve underlines that the aim of the airport’s masterplan is to return it to financial sustainability. And that has required a change in mindset.
He says: “The airport is a business and as such our remit is to bring money into the local economy.
“The best thing about the job is the people here who are really engaged in the airport and its development. Everyone is working really hard to get where we want to be.”
He acknowledges the challenging environment regional airports in the UK operate in when it
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