Bristol Airport: Difference between revisions
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| [[Eastern Airways]] | Aberdeen |
| [[Eastern Airways]] | Aberdeen |
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| [[EasyJet]] | Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast-International, Berlin-Schönefeld, Edinburgh, Faro, Funchal, Fuerteventura, Geneva, Glasgow-International, Inverness, Kraków, Madrid, Málaga, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pisa, Prague, Rome-Ciampino, Tenerife-South, Toulouse <br> '''Seasonal''': Bastia, Bodrum, Bordeaux, Corfu, Dalaman, Grenoble, Innsbruck, Heraklion, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Lyon, Marseille, Menorca, Murcia, Olbia, Salzburg, Split |
| [[EasyJet]] | Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast-International, Berlin-Schönefeld, Edinburgh, Faro, Funchal, Fuerteventura, Geneva, Glasgow-International, Inverness, Kraków, Madrid, Málaga, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pisa, Prague, Rome-Ciampino, Tenerife-South, Toulouse <br> '''Seasonal''': Bastia, Bodrum, Bordeaux, Corfu, Dalaman, Grenoble, Innsbruck, Heraklion, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Lyon, Marseille, Menorca, Murcia, Olbia, Salzburg, Split |
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| [[Flybe]] | Belfast-City, Isle of Man, Jersey |
| [[Flybe]] | Belfast-City, Isle of Man, Jersey <br> '''Seasonal''' Geneva, Toulouse |
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| [[Isles of Scilly Skybus]] | '''Seasonal:''' Isles of Scilly |
| [[Isles of Scilly Skybus]] | '''Seasonal:''' Isles of Scilly |
||
| [[KLM Royal Dutch Airlines]]<br>operated by [[KLM Cityhopper]] | Amsterdam |
| [[KLM Royal Dutch Airlines]]<br>operated by [[KLM Cityhopper]] | Amsterdam |
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Revision as of 12:41, 3 January 2011
Bristol Airport | |||||||||||
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| File:Bristol international airport logo.gif | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | South West Airports Limited | ||||||||||
| Serves | Bristol Gloucestershire Somerset | ||||||||||
| Location | Lulsgate Bottom, North Somerset | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 622 ft / 190 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°22′58″N 002°43′09″W / 51.38278°N 2.71917°W | ||||||||||
| Website | www.bristolairport.co.uk | ||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2009) | |||||||||||
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Bristol Airport (IATA: BRS, ICAO: EGGD), located at Lulsgate Bottom in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area. At first it was named Bristol Lulsgate Airport and from March 1997 to March 2010 it was known as Bristol International Airport.[3] In 2003, the airport drew 45% of its passengers from the former county of Avon area, 13% from Devon, 10% from Somerset and 10% from Wales.[4] In 2009 it was the ninth busiest airport in the United Kingdom, handling 5,642,921 passengers, a 10.0% reduction since 2008.[2]
The airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (number P432) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers and for flying instruction.
There is a police station at the airport, in the old terminal building, operated by Avon and Somerset Constabulary.[5]
History
In 1927 a group of local businessmen raised £6,000 through public subscription to start a flying club at Filton Aerodrome.[6] By 1929 the club had become a success and it was decided that a farm located in Whitchurch near Bristol would be developed into an airport. In 1930, Prince George, son of King George V opened Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport — becoming the third such airport in the United Kingdom. Passenger numbers grew from 935 in 1930 to over 4,000 in 1939.
During World War II, Bristol's Whitchurch Airport was the only civil airport still in operation in the UK, meaning all flights usually bound for London were terminated in Bristol. The newly formed British Overseas Airways Corporation was transferred to Whitchurch from Croydon and Gatwick Airports. They operated on routes to Lisbon, Portugal and to some other neutral nations.
RAF Lulsgate Bottom
In September 1940 No 10 Elementary Flying Training School at Weston super Mare established a Relief Landing Ground on 14 acres (57,000 m2) at Broadfield Down by the hamlet of Lulsgate Bottom, near Redhill. Being high, at 600 feet (180 m), the site had a poor weather record, during warm front conditions when it was often covered in low cloud. However, when this occurred the alternative airfields at Filton and Cardiff were usually clear and operational; and as Lulsgate was clear when the low-lying airfields were obscured by radiation fog in calm weather, it was agreed to open the facility.
In 1941 Fighter Command used the site for an experimental unit, and after requisitioning land from several adjacent farms, contracted Geo. Wimpey & Company to begin work on 11 June 1941. The main runway was 3,900 ft (1,200 m) long, and the first aircraft to land was a Luftwaffe Ju 88 at 06.20 on 24 July 1941. Returning from a raid, it was confused by the RAF electronic countermeasures radio beacon at Lympsham, which was re-radiating the signal from a Luftwaffe homing beacon at Brest, France.
The airfield was declared operational on 15 January 1942, with the Miles Masters, Airspeed Oxfords and Hawker Hurricanes of No. 286 (Ack-ack Cooperation) Squadron becoming resident, in their duties to provide realistic exercises to ground anti-aircraft defences. However, as the site lacked some uncompleted basic facilities, No. 286 moved to RAF Zeals in May, and handed the site back to Flying Training Command. No. 3 Flying Instructor School took up residence, re-training ex-operational bomber crews to teach at Operational Training Units.[7]
Lulsgate Bottom Airfield
On the cessation of war activities, and the reduced need for pilot training, the RAF ceased training at the site 14 April 1946, and abandoned it completely from October 1946. From 1948, the site was the home of the Bristol Gliding Club. In 1948 and 1949, the Bristol Motor Cycle and Light Car Club hosted motor races on a 2-mile (3.2 km) circuit, but due to planning and noise issues moved in 1950 to a site that became known as Castle Combe Circuit.[7]
Bristol Lulsgate Airport
Whitchurch airport continued to be used after WW2, but the introduction of heavier post-war airliners made a runway extension highly desirable. However, this was difficult at Whitchurch, because of the nearby housing estates. Consequently, a decision was taken to develop a new airport on the site at Lulsgate Bottom Airfield. Sold to the Bristol Corporation in 1955 for £55,000, the gliding club moved to Nympsfield.[7]
The new airport was called Bristol Lulsgate Airport, and was opened in 1957 by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. All of the Whitchurch airline operations and the Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club moved there: in its first year it was used by 33,000 people.[8] In 1963 the runway was lengthened and in 1965 extensions were made to the terminal. In 1968 a new 5,000 square foot (460 m²) building was constructed.[8] In 1974 the airline "Court Line" collapsed, causing a fall in passenger numbers.
By 1980, 17 charter airlines were operating from the airport. Additions in 1984 included an international departure lounge, duty free shops, a 24-hour air-side bar, an arrivals concourse, and a short-term car park. On 1 April 1987 all employees were transferred from Bristol City Council to Bristol Airport Public limited company. The operation and net assets of Bristol Airport were transferred from the City of Bristol and the company commenced trading. Over the next few years business boomed with over 100,000 passengers each month in the summer of 1988. The growth of the airport at this time is attributed to the work of the managing director Les Wilson, who died in a car crash in November 1995.[9]
Bristol International Airport
In March 1997 the airport's name was changed to Bristol International Airport, and in December 1997 51% of the airport company was sold to FirstGroup plc, while the remaining 49% was retained by Bristol City Council.[6] A new terminal building was built in April 1999 and opened in March 2000, and the A38 road was diverted to cater for the installation of a Category 3 instrument landing system.[10] In 2000, passenger numbers exceeded two million for the first time.[8]
The airport was purchased by Macquarie Bank and Cintra in January 2001 for £198m.[8] Passenger numbers passed through three million in 2002,[6] largely due to the arrival of the low-cost carrier Go Fly. Continued expansion by EasyJet led to another increase in passengers — to 3.8 million. In May 2005, Continental Airlines introduced a direct flight from Bristol to Newark with Boeing 757 aircraft,[6] which ceased on 7 November 2010.[11] Macquarie's stake was spun off as part of MAp Airports in 2009.
Bristol Airport
In March 2010, the airport was rebranded as Bristol Airport.[12] The airport gained a new logo, said by the airport's owners to represent ‘people’, ‘place’ and ‘region’; and a new slogan "Amazing Journeys Start Here".[3]
Prior to May 2010, the airport did not have any jetways, so all aircraft had to park on the apron and passengers either walk out to their flights, or carried by bus. On 28 May, an £8M project finalised with the opening of a 450 metres (1,480 ft) walkway, which connects the terminal building to eight new pre-boarding zones.[13] The is promise to "make the airport journey more convenient, easy and enjoyable"[14]
Proposed expansion
Having created plans for an extension, in October 2007 the airport announced that it would delay the planning application until the middle of 2008 to give it time to complete research on the airport's effect on the environment.[15] This news came just a week after the World Development Movement stated that flights from the airport generate the same amount of CO2 as the nation of Malawi.[16] Plans for the expansion of the airport have been now completed and are to be submitted to the council for approval in summer 2008.
A coalition to fight the expansion, known as Stop Bristol Airport Expansion has been formed by Bristol Friends of the Earth, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and other groups and individuals in North Somerset, Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset.
In early 2008, an opposition to the Stop Bristol Airport Expansion campaign was launched to support the expansion and operations of the airport. Named BISON - Bristol International Supporters Group - it is targeted at the travelling public.
A decision was due on 3 March after a meeting at Weston-super-Mare Town Hall, on 24 May permission was granted by the council. As part of the expansion, planning permission was also granted for a 251-room hotel, which will open in 2012.[17]
2007 resurfacing controversy
On 5 January 2007 many flights were cancelled or diverted, including all EasyJet and XL Airways flights. This was due to braking action on the runway not being the required standard for safe stopping in wet conditions. Virtually all of the operations were moved to Cardiff Airport by these two airlines. EasyJet moved 60% of its operations to Cardiff during this weekend of disruption.
The problem arose from a new £17 million asphalt runway surface not being sufficiently grooved to allow water run off. Although the new runway was given Civil Aviation Authority clearance on 4 January 2007, there had been a number of incidents over the previous four weeks, with aircraft unable to stop without running over the operating limits of the runway.
A British Airways spokeswoman said it would not operate flights if the runway moisture levels were above a certain level, and the airline cancelled several of its flights.[18]
On Sunday 7 January 2007, following further cancellations, Bristol Airport management made the decision to close the runway from 14:30 for work to resolve the problem. The runway remained closed during Monday 8 January.[19] An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report, released in January 2009, reported that there were two serious incidents where aircraft left the runway in December 2006.[20][21] The report highlighted technical faults with the runway surface, and operational problems with the airlines and the airport operator.
Ownership
As of March 2010[update], the shareholders comprise -
- Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan - 49%[22][23]
- Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 1 - 50% – part of Macquarie Group[22]
- MAp Airports (formerly Macquarie Airports) - 1%[22]
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus Regional operated by Aer Arann | Cork, Dublin [begins 27 March], Shannon |
| Air France operated by Airlinair | Paris-Charles de Gaulle |
| Air Malta | Seasonal: Malta |
| Air Southwest | Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newquay, Plymouth |
| Aurigny Air Services | Guernsey |
| BH Air | Seasonal: Bourgas, Sofia |
| Brussels Airlines | Brussels |
| Eastern Airways | Aberdeen |
| EasyJet | Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast-International, Berlin-Schönefeld, Edinburgh, Faro, Funchal, Fuerteventura, Geneva, Glasgow-International, Inverness, Kraków, Madrid, Málaga, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pisa, Prague, Rome-Ciampino, Tenerife-South, Toulouse Seasonal: Bastia, Bodrum, Bordeaux, Corfu, Dalaman, Grenoble, Innsbruck, Heraklion, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Lyon, Marseille, Menorca, Murcia, Olbia, Salzburg, Split |
| Flybe | Belfast-City, Isle of Man, Jersey Seasonal Geneva, Toulouse |
| Isles of Scilly Skybus | Seasonal: Isles of Scilly |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines operated by KLM Cityhopper | Amsterdam |
| Onur Air | Seasonal: Bodrum, Dalaman |
| Ostfriesische Lufttransport | Bremen |
| Ryanair | Alicante, Béziers, Bratislava, Dublin, Faro, Gdansk, Girona, Kaunas, Knock, Lanzarote, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Malta, Marrakech, Poznań, Tenerife-South, Venice-Treviso, Wrocław Seasonal: Bergerac, Limoges, Milan-Orio al Serio, Palma de Mallorca, Porto, Reus, Riga, Rimini, Rzeszów, Seville, Valencia |
| Small Planet Airlines | Seasonal: Chambéry |
| Thomas Cook Airlines | Enfidha [begins 1 May], Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Monastir, Tenerife-South Seasonal: Antalya, Bodrum, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Grenoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Izmir [begins 7 May], Kos, Larnaca, Menorca, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Reus, Rhodes, Rovaniemi, Salzburg, Sharm el-Sheikh, Zakynthos |
| Thomson Airways | Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South Seasonal: Alicante, Antalya, Bodrum, Cancún, Corfu, Dalaman, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kefalonia, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Luxor, Málaga, Menorca, Monastir, Naples, Orlando-Sanford, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Pula, Reus, Rhodes, Verona, Zakynthos |
| Viking Hellas | Seasonal: Heraklion [begins 22 July], Larnaca [begins 7 May] |
Mail services
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Atlantic Airlines | Bournemouth [ends January] |
| MiniLiner | Newcastle |
| Titan Airways | Edinburgh |
Statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | 2008-2009 Change | Airlines that serve(d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ireland - Dublin Airport |
287,632 |  9% |
Ryanair |
| 2 |  United Kingdom - Edinburgh Airport |
235,196 | 6% |
EasyJet |
| 3 |  Netherlands - Amsterdam Airport |
230,341 | 6% |
EasyJet, KLM |
| 4 | United Kingdom - Glasgow Airport |
212,253 | 4% |
EasyJet |
| 5 |  Spain - Alicante Airport |
210,282 |  8% |
EasyJet, Ryanair, Thomson Airways |
| 6 | United Kingdom - Newcastle Airport |
187,022 | 7% |
EasyJet |
| 7 | Spain - Málaga Airport |
184,845 | 9% |
EasyJet, Ryanair, Thomson Airways |
| 8 | Spain - Palma Airport |
177,433 | 14% |
Aer Europa, EasyJet, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Airways |
| 9 |  France - Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport |
167,739 | 17% |
Air France, EasyJet |
| 10 | United Kingdom - Belfast International Airport |
163,459 | 29% |
EasyJet |
| Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority [1] | ||||
Runway
Bristol Airport has one runway designated 09/27 which is a well suited runway direction for the UK as the prevailing wind is from the south west. Because of this, runway 27 (the westerly direction) is used the most often, about 70% of the time. The airport has one of the shortest international airport runways in the country at just 2,011 metres (6,598 ft) in length and runway 27 only having an available landing distance of 1,876 metres (6,155 ft). Therefore large aircraft are rarely used due to weight restrictions.[24]
Transport connections
Bristol International Airport is located on the A38, 8 miles (13 km) south of Bristol city centre. The airport is signposted from the M5, from junction 22 when approaching from the south and junction 18 when approaching from the north. Neither gives quick access to the airport, a fact which is recognised by the Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study.[25] A number of solutions have been proposed, including a new link road between the A38 and the A371 but nothing has been approved.
The Bristol International Flyer coach services A1 & A2 operate to and from Bristol calling at Bedminster, Bristol Temple Meads railway station, and Bristol Bus station. Some services continue to Clifton. The service takes 30 minutes from the city centre and can be booked as part of a rail journey, changing between train and bus at Bristol Temple Meads. These are operated by First Group on behalf of Bristol Airport.[26]
A bus service to and from Weston-super-Mare operates every two hours, service number 121. This service is operated by Wessex Connect and Bakers Coaches on behalf of North Somerset Council.
General aviation
Bristol Airport is a general aviation (GA) centre. In 2006 the GA terminal was relocated from the north side next to the control tower, to a purpose-built facility on the south east corner of the field. There are two GA organisations based at Bristol. All GA handling for visiting aircraft is managed by Bristol Flying Centre, which also provides pilot training and engineering services. Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club provides pilot training on both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.
Accidents and incidents
- On 19 January 1970, Vickers Viscount G-AMOA of Cambrian Airways was damaged beyond economic repair in a heavy landing.[27]
See also
References
- ^ Bristol - EGGD
- ^ a b UK Airport Statistics: 2009 - annual
- ^ a b "New vision unveiled ten years on from terminal opening". Bristol Airport. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
- ^ Bristol International Airport Master Plan 2006 to 2030, November 2006
- ^ "Bristol International Airport police station". Avon and Somerset Police. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d "The History of Bristol Airport". The Airport Guides. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- ^ a b c "Lulsgate - Bristol Airport". Chew76. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ a b c d "History". Bristol International Airport. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Belsey, James (30 November 1995). "Obituary: Les Wilson". The Independent. London: Independent News and Media. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ "Bristol International Airport Expansion, United Kingdom". airport-technology.com. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- ^ "Continental Airlines to scrap flights to New York from Bristol". Bristol Evening Post. 6 April 2010.
- ^ "Rebranded Bristol Airport drops the International". Bristol Evening Post. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
- ^ "New walkway will enhance passenger experience". Bristol Airport. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ url=http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/news-and-press/press-releases/2010/05/walkway-opening.aspx
- ^ "Airport expansion plans grounded". BBC News. 20 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
- ^ "Airport CO2 rivals African nation". BBC News. 11 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
- ^ "Bristol Airport hotel plan approved by councillors". BBC News. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
- ^ "Flights cancelled in safety row". BBC News. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ "Safety row disrupts ten airlines". BBC News. 6 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ "Report finds runway 'was unsafe'". BBC News. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ "Report No: 1/2009". Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ Reuters - Macquarie Airports sells Bristol airport interest, 15 September 2009
- ^ Bristol International Airport - Master Plan
- ^ "Surface Access Strategy 2006 to 2001" (PDF). Bristol International Airport. September 2006. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ "Bristol International Flyer Airport Express Link". Bristol International Airport. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
External links
