Bristol Airport has submitted its formal planning application for the next stage of its expansion which could see 12m passengers use the airport each year
Bristol Airport is hoping to fly to five new cities in the USA and the Middle East(Image: Getty Images)
Bristol Airport has identified five cities across the USA and the Middle East that it hopes to offer direct flights to if its latest expansion plans are approved.
A video posted on YouTube and the Bristol Airport website features a map showing five destinations the airport wants to connect with directly – namely New York, Orlando, Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Earlier this month, Bristol Live reported that the airport had lodged its formal planning application for the next phase of its expansion, which includes routes to North America and the Middle East. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.
10.8m passengers currently use the airport each year, meaning it’s the eighth busiest in the country. It already has permission to expand its facilities to accommodate up to 12m passengers yearly.
However, unlike a straightforward expansion, the most recent planning application Bristol Airport has submitted to North Somerset Council has nearly 500 documents, some of which are hundreds of pages individually, reports Bristol Live.
The proposals include ‘runway and taxiway improvements’ incorporating changes to approach lights to allow for larger aircraft to connect the region directly with destinations much further afield.
Discussing the plans, Dave Lees, chief executive of Bristol Airport, said: “Our proposals deliver what customers have told us they want to see at their local Airport. We will open up opportunities to visit places further afield and for businesses to expand into new international markets.
“This would improve international connectivity to key world cities enhancing trade, supporting high value sectors and improving inward investment, as well as supporting our world-leading universities in their research and innovation endeavours.
“It is also about connecting family and friends – something that’s important for the West of England where 30% of people now have close family members living abroad.”
Under the proposals, the Airport is hoping to raise the existing passenger limit from 12m passengers annually to 15m passengers, a target it plans on reaching by the late 2030s.
Aircraft operations would rise from 85,990 to 100,000 annually in the longer term to accommodate growing demand for air travel. During a peak period busy day, this would translate to 35 additional aircraft movements.
While night flying restrictions would remain, the Airport is proposing to expand night flights by 1,000 annually – averaging four per night during busy periods in the peak season.
In 2024, Bristol Airport conducted a consultation on its Master Plan outlining long-term expansion proposals, followed by a supplementary consultation last year regarding modifications to runway approach lighting.
The proposals would involve installing lights on sections of Felton Common within small, fenced-off areas while preserving access to the open space. Approximately 3,000 people participated in the consultation exercise.