Benefits

Improved facilities to provide a better experience for passengers

  • Improved road access to the airport.
  • More public transport services, utilising a new public transport interchange opposite the terminal.
  • Multi-level car park providing secure, covered parking close to the terminal.
  • Covered pedestrian access to the terminal from car parks and public transport interchange.
  • Smoother progress to departure lounge as a result of reduced check-in and security queues.
  • More space to relax or work in the departure lounge while waiting to board.
  • Air bridges and walkways providing direct access to aircraft and reducing the use of buses to transport passengers to and from flights.
  • Faster progress through passport control on arrival from outside the UK.

More travel destinations and frequencies

  • The development is necessary to attract new airlines and new routes over time.
  • This means greater choice for leisure passengers with more travel destinations.
  • Improved connections and frequencies for business passengers.
  • Potential new routes include Zurich, Munich, Dűsseldorf, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Washington, Atlanta, Toronto, Istanbul and Singapore.

More jobs

  • In the last eight years employment at Bristol Airport (BIA) has nearly doubled from 1,500 to over 2,900 employees today.
  • Over 3,500 new jobs will be created in the South West (Source: Economic Impact Assessment, Roger Tym and Partners). This includes over 900 new jobs on–site.
  • A Skills and Employment Plan will focus on matching local people with job opportunities.

Other economic benefits

  • The development will result in increased spending in the South West region by overseas visitors using BRS of £1.1 billion over the period 2008 to 2019/2020, or £94 million each year in 2019/2020.
  • There will be direct user benefits of £368 million over the period 2008 to 2019/2020, or £31 million each year in 2019/2020.
  • Direct user benefits include travel time and cost savings achieved by South West leisure and business travellers from being able to fly from their regional airport rather than travelling to another airport outside the region, such as Heathrow or Gatwick. These savings are worth a total of £133 million over the period 2008 to 2019/2020, or £11 million each year in 2019/2020.
  • In total, the development will generate additional income to the South West region of £1.9 billion to £2.0 billion over the period 2008 to 2019/2020. This includes income generated from the airport’s activities, overseas visitor expenditure and direct user benefits.
  • On a per annum basis, there will be additional income to the South West region of between £155 million to £170 million each year in 2019/2020.
  • The annual increase in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the South West region would be between £103 million and £109 million each year in 2019/2020.

Better connections for business

  • Improved services to Europe’s leading cities – 14 of Europe’s top 20 cities are currently underserved or not directly served at all (Source: Cushman & Wakefield European Cities Monitor 2008 and BIA).
  • International air links can play a key role in attracting conferences and exhibitions to Bristol and the South West.
  • Connections are a major factor in investment and location decisions by international companies. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s European Cities Monitor (2008), 59 per cent of companies surveyed cited easy access to markets, customers or clients as an absolutely essential factor for locating a business.
  • Access to air travel supports international trade. The growth in trade between the South West and North America has outstripped the UK average since the introduction of Continental Airlines’ service between Bristol and New York (Source: UK regional trade in goods statistics, HM Revenue & Customs).

Increased inbound tourism

  • International visitors spent £16 billion in the UK in 2008.
  • Overseas tourists spent over 20 million nights in the South West last year.
  • Annual spend in the region by overseas visitors has risen from £741 million in 2002 to £980 million in 2008 (Source: Visit Britain).
  • The development will facilitate growth in inbound tourism, building on 161 per cent growth in travel by foreign residents over last five years (Source: CAA).
  • Each overseas visitor using BRS is currently worth £410 to the South West economy (Source: Roger Tym & Partners).
  • As the premier gateway to the South West, BRS is the first and last impression of the region for many overseas visitors.
  • Enhancing the airport is vital to improving the image of the region and its reputation as a world-leading tourism destination.
  • Strengthening of social networks enabling families and friends to stay in touch, building on a seven-fold increase in VFR traffic since 2000 (Source: CAA).

Other benefits of travel

  • Enabling local people to achieve their travel aspirations from their local airport.
  • Maintaining social networks and family connections for migrant workers in the UK and overseas.
  • Facilitating the free movement of labour within the European Union.
  • Social, cultural, sporting and educational exchanges (such as the Bristol-Bordeaux Student Exchange).
  • A successful airport with sufficient capacity and good connections is critical to attracting major events to the region, such as the World Cup 2018.

Bristol Airport
June 2009 

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