Aberdeen Airport set for £45m improvements

By Frank Urquhart
Published on Tuesday 24 January 2012 16:48

ABERDEEN - Britain’s fastest growing airport - is in line for a £45 million investment in a ten year programme of expansion and improvements at the busy terminal.

The airport is planning to invest £4.5 million this year alone upgrading the main terminal building to improve passenger facilities and provide more capacity.

And the £45 million spending programme through to 2021 includes a £5 milllion expansion of the airport’s international arrivals area, a two-year plan to boost capacity within the terminal and the expansion of the security search area at a cost of £3 million.

A recent report revealed a significant increase in demand at Aberdeen Airport, with passenger numbers up by 11.5 per cent in 2011, making it the fastest growing airport in the UK last year.

Announcing the investment boost, Derek Provan, the airport’s managing director, said: “Our aim is to continue to provide high standards of service. To achieve this, we plan to increase our capacity to take account of forecast passenger growth, and modernise our facilities to deliver a better service to passengers, airlines and other airport users.

“Aberdeen Airport has enjoyed sustained growth over the past 12 months and our longer term forecasts suggest that this trend will continue. It is vital that we continue to invest in our facilities to create an airport that befits Aberdeen’s status as the energy capital of Europe.”

He added: “Every penny we invest at Aberdeen Airport is an investment for the future, creating a legacy that delivers long term benefits for the city and shire economy. We are determined to do everything we can to improve the experience of our passengers, and to maximise the contribution Aberdeen Airport makes to the economy of the North east.”

Derick Murray, a director of Nestrans, the area’s transport forum, welcomed the investment plans. He said: “Studies have shown the importance of the airport to the Aberdeen City and Shire economy. It is therefore important that the airport provides the facilities required to meet the needs of travellers from the area and gives a good first impression for visitors and inward investors.

“So it is welcome that this investment, building on other recent improvements, continues the airports upgrading programme to meet these needs and is further evidence of the strength of the region’s economy.”

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mobocaster

Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:11 AM

Tailspin Edzell lost its aviation facilities a long time ago. Probably not long after WWII - It was then reopened as a radioCDAA operation from1960 till closure. The runways may remain but the base had been very substantially developed along non-flying lines.

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nabodican

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 06:19 PM

#1 - I think you may have to brush up on your navigational skills old chap, it seems your comment should be directed at Edzell. However the runway areas have already been turned over to businesses similar to other old runways in the Howe of the Mearns.

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Tailspin

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 03:22 PM

Just a warning of caution to the developers of this project and the powers that be... Any redevelopment plans for this former air base that does not include leaving the runway and aviation facilities is a bad plan. Scotland does not have enough runways now to meet the current, let alone the future needs of the nations flying public. An airfield that can accommodate commercial traffic should be protected as an invaluable nation asset. As a general aviation pilot and frequent visitor I find it difficult to understand why the Scottish traveling public doesn't demand more commercial airports near the centers of population... It is a mystery to me why a three hour drive on Highland roads to get to an airport is considered acceptable. In addition to the convenience of having local airports, even the smallest commercial airport can generate hundreds of jobs and millions of pound into a community.

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