Bournemouth Airport has announced that it expects to see more than one million passengers in 2024 as budget airline Ryanair confirms its 19th destination from the airport.
To handle the extra passengers, the Dorset transport hub's owners Regional and City Airports said it is investing more than £5m into new facilities, equipment, staff and training.
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.
Ryanair will commence twice weekly flights to Agadir in Morocco from April 1. This follows on from the success of the airline's 2023 season, which saw it base a second aircraft at the airport for the summer, increasing the number of flights by 30% to 120 a week.
In addition, tour operator TUI has confirmed it will also add a second aircraft at Bournemouth Airport in 2024 with an extra 60,000 seats available. This is a 33% increase on its 2023 schedule. TUI has 14 destinations from Bournemouth with increased frequency planned on many routes next year.
This combined growth in destination and frequency means the airport, which employs more than 250, expects to exceed one million passengers in 2024. The last time it hit that milestone was in 2008.
Steve Gill, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “We’ve embarked on a major investment programme to cater for the anticipated growth in passenger numbers. Before the pandemic we saw 800,000 passengers. Having exceeded that this year, we are confident of seeing more than one million in 2024.
“That’s a tremendous achievement and reflects the great range of destinations available from Bournemouth Airport and our commitment to providing the best possible experience for passengers. While our investment programme continues, we thank passengers for their patience and aim to complete the majority of work during the quieter winter months.”
The £5m investment programme will see an upgraded security search area with new scanning equipment to relax the restriction on liquids and the need to take electronics out of bags. There will be a new airport information desk, improved baggage screening, an extra baggage retrieval area in the Arrivals terminal, more Border Force desks in Arrivals and improved queuing systems for passengers handling in both Departures and Arrivals.
