News Release (13/11/08)
Bristol International welcomes North Somerset Council’s approval of its application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for a proposed covered walkway at the airport.
The decision, taken at a meeting of the Council’s South Area Committee yesterday (12 November) gives the green light for the construction of the walkway, which will provide a safe, secure and comfortable way of transferring passengers between aircraft and the terminal building. Currently, on a typical day during the busy summer season, around 50 per cent of passengers are coached to and from their flights, providing unsatisfactory customer service and an unnecessarily complicated process for airlines.
The airport has also provided a unilateral undertaking restricting the use of the walkway and addressing concerns previously expressed by the Council. This includes a restriction on seating, with the exception of that required for passengers with reduced mobility.
Alan Davies, Director of Environment and Planning at Bristol International Airport, said:
“The walkway addresses operational challenges faced by airlines, and will improve the airport experience for passengers. It will enable us to reduce the use of coaches to transfer passengers to and from flights, cutting emissions in the process. There will also be significant safety benefits resulting from the decrease in vehicles operating airside.”
“We will continue to work on plans for the development and enhancement of Bristol International with a view to submitting a planning application to North Somerset in early 2009. As part of this process, we will be consulting with Parish Councils and other stakeholders in order to ensure our proposals balance the need to serve demand for air travel to and from the South West while minimising impacts on our neighbours.”