Construction teams and technology installers are busy delivering a £7 million programme of changes at Cardiff International Airport, to accommodate passenger growth.First of the changes, providing air traffic control facilities with the industry?s most advanced communications systems, has now been completed and commissioned.

Other major projects include:

—Six extra stands for Boeing 737 aircraft
—A new first-floor walk-way, to new departure gates serving the new aircraft stands
—An additional gate-lounge
—Expansion of the international departures pier
—A new arrivals concourse
—A new immigration hall for flight-arrivals
—Doubling the baggage-reclaim area, including a fourth baggage carousel
—Doubling the size of the Executive Lounge
—Addition of 700 extra car parking spaces.

Operations Director at Cardiff International Airport, Graeme Gamble, explained: “Recent announcements of new routes and increased flights mean that the airport will serve more than two million passengers this year, with record numbers flying during the coming summer. “

This investment programme is geared to match and exceed that growth, and ensure that our passengers continue to get the special benefit of a much less stressful experience than hubs like Heathrow and Gatwick.

One of the many passenger benefits of the new changes will be a major reduction in the use of buses to take flyers to their aircraft.

“The airport will now have 15 aircraft parking stands adjacent to the terminal, with walkways, piers and gates enabling the majority of passengers to board their flight without having to be bussed from the departure gate,” said Mr Gamble.
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