Bristol Airport has launched a new, two-month long consultation setting out development plans for the Airport leading up to 2040.
The proposals, which have been announced to meet increased demands for air travel in the region, will enable the airport to increase its overall number of connections, providing new services to more destinations than ever before.
Territories mentioned within new long-haul flight plans include the east coast of America, as well as proposals for services connecting the South West to the Middle East, opening the potential for the creation of over 37,000 jobs within the South West and South Wales – with 1,000 jobs at the Airport itself.
Proposals for the Airport also include a terminal extension with improved walkways directly serving aircraft, improved on-site facilities such as retail, food & beverage spaces, new taxiways, apron extensions & additional aircraft stands, capacity improvements to the A38 and further parking provisions to the north and south of the Airport.
Dave Lees, Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Airport, said:We constantly look at trends in air travel and we've been pleasantly surprised that people want to continue to travel by air. We've seen since the pandemic a real resurgence in terms of people wanting to connect with friends and family across Europe as well as across the world and that will inform our plans as we go forward over the coming years.
The masterplan will look at what further development might be required to meet this growing demand for air travel and we’d welcome input from people to help shape our plans.
Currently, the Airport serves over 10 million passengers per year, in turn providing more than 5,000 local jobs and contributing 2 billion GBP to the region. With the newly proposed plans, the Airport will look to expand its yearly capacity to 15 million by 2036, 3 million more than the current allowance of 12 million.
With the increase, the Airport predicts it will see an increase in overall flights from 85,990 to 100,00 per year, resulting in an extra 35 flights per day. In order to accommodate these increased numbers, it intends to expand its nightly services by 1,000, averaging four per night in peak periods.
The Airport recently collaborated with a slew of airlines to encourage quieter engine-powered aircrafts, leading to a 50 percent noise reduction compared to more traditional aircraft.
The consultation is set to run between 25 November and 31 January 2025, and feedback can be provided here.
