Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport Aldergrove Airport | |||||||||||||||
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Focus city for | |||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 268 ft / 82 m | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 54°39′27″N 006°12′57″W / 54.65750°N 6.21583°W | ||||||||||||||
Website | www.belfastairport.com | ||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||
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Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||||||
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Sources: UK |
Belfast International Airport (IATA: BFS, ICAO: EGAA) is an airport 11.5 NM (21.3 km; 13.2 mi)[2] northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland, and is the main airport for the city of Belfast. Until 1983, it was known as Aldergrove Airport, after the nearby village of Aldergrove in County Antrim. In 2023, over 5.9 million passengers travelled through the airport, a 23.6% increase compared with 2022.[3] The majority of flights from Belfast International are operated by easyJet, Northern Ireland's biggest airline. It features flights to some European metropolitan and several leisure destinations.
Belfast International has a
History
1917–1945
The airport lies within the
Civil traffic began in 1922,[dubious ] when flights were conducted to fly newspapers from Chester. The first scheduled passenger service was started in 1933 by the Scottish airline Midland & Scottish Air Ferries. This service consisted of two daily flights each way between Aldergrove and Renfrew Airport, Glasgow.[5] This was subsequently augmented by a twice-daily, return service to Croydon, at that time London's airport, with stops at the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Birmingham.[6]
During the
1946–1970
One of the outcomes of the wartime airfield construction programme was the building of Nutts Corner Airport, just 3 mi (4.8 km) from Aldergrove. On 1 December 1946, the new site replaced Belfast Harbour Airport (now George Best Belfast City Airport) as Northern Ireland's civil airport, as the Harbour Airport was considered unsuitable.
By the 1950s civil air traffic had outstripped the facilities at Nutts Corner and, in addition, aircraft were being regularly diverted to Aldergrove because of adverse weather conditions. In July 1959 the decision was made to move civil flights to Aldergrove to take advantage of the large airfield and this took place in October 1963.
A new
1971–1999
In 1971, Northern Ireland Airports Limited was formed to operate and develop the airport and its facilities. A major programme of airfield upgrades was undertaken, resulting in improvements to runways, taxiways and the parking apron.
A new International Pier was built together with lounge facilities and car parks, while an additional apron was provided to separate the smaller
In 1983 the airport, renamed Belfast International, was regularly accommodating the largest civil aircraft in service and with the installation of new technology was capable of all-weather operations. In 1985 passenger numbers reached 1.5 million and
The airport was privatised in 1994. TBI became the new owner of the airport on 13 August 1996, by which time annual passenger numbers had reached 2.5 million.
In 1998,
Development since the 2000s
In 2005, Continental Airlines launched the first ever nonstop scheduled service to Newark; this continued to operate under the United Airlines brand until its termination in January 2017.[8]
In July 2013, it was confirmed that abertis would sell Belfast International Airport, Stockholm Skavsta Airport & Orlando Sanford International Airport to ADC & HAS based in the United States. In February 2015 the airport re-opened the viewing gallery that had been closed for 10 years which provides a view of the apron and the runways that serve the airport. It also includes live ATC, arrival and departure boards, and a live flight radar screen.[9] However, this was later closed again in October 2019.
In 2014, news emerged of talks between the airport and Turkish Airlines.[10] This could have led to a service linking Belfast into the worldwide Turkish route network, but did not materialise.
From 2015, Virgin Atlantic offered weekly services to Orlando International Airport using Boeing 747-400 aircraft (with occasional services provided by the airline's Airbus A330 fleet). These flights served tourist traffic during the summer months (typically June - August). The service was suspended with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to date has not returned.
In April 2018, Vinci Airports acquired an airport portfolio held by Airports Worldwide (previously named ADC & HAS),[12] with the transaction expected to close later that year, Vinci Airports became the new owner of Belfast International Airport.[13]
2018 also saw further suggestions of an international carrier providing access to a global network. This time Qatar Airways was mooted,[14] but again, any such proposal did not come to fruition.
In summer 2023, work began on a significant terminal expansion, to accommodate new security scanning equipment.[17] This is to be operational by summer 2024.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Belfast–International:[18]
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
BH Air[19] | Seasonal: Burgas,[citation needed] Sofia |
Faro, Glasgow, Hurghada,[22] Isle of Man, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London–Gatwick, London–Luton, London–Stansted, Málaga, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Southampton,[23] Tenerife–South
Seasonal: Antalya,[24] Barcelona, Bordeaux, Corfu, Dalaman, Geneva, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kraków, Lanzarote, Larnaca (begins 2 May 2024),[21] Lyon, Menorca, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Rhodes[25] | |
TUI Airways[33] | Seasonal: Antalya (begins 21 June 2024),[33] Corfu, Dalaman, Heraklion, Kos, Lanzarote, Larnaca (begins 16 May 2024),[34] Melbourne/Orlando, Palma de Mallorca, Reus, Rhodes, Salzburg (begins 21 December 2024),[35] Tenerife–South, Turin[35] |
Cargo
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
DHL Aviation[36] | East Midlands |
General Aviation
Woodgate Aviation has a base at the airport, featuring a private jet terminal, with facilities to accommodate small aircraft. Woodgate Aviation is Belfast International Airport's only FBO to provide hangarage. Their 33,000 sq ft hangar was constructed in 2015, and at the time of completion, access to hangar floor was through Europe's largest hydraulic door.[37]
Belfast International Airport welcomed Global Trek Aviation, as the third
Traffic and statistics
Traffic figures
Belfast International handled over 5.9 million passengers in 2023.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Year | Number of Passengers[43] | Number of Movements[44] | Freight (tonnes)[3] |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | 2,476,834 | 35,070 | 24,838 |
1998 | 2,671,848 | 38,976 | 25,275 |
1999 | 3,035,907 | 44,817 | 25,773 |
2000 | 3,147,670 | 41,256 | 30,599 |
2001 | 3,618,671 | 45,706 | 32,130 |
2002 | 3,576,785 | 38,453 | 29,474 |
2003 | 3,976,703 | 39,894 | 29,620 |
2004 | 4,407,413 | 43,373 | 32,148 |
2005 | 4,824,271 | 47,695 | 37,878 |
2006 | 5,038,692 | 48,412 | 38,417 |
2007 | 5,272,664 | 51,085 | 38,429 |
2008 | 5,262,354 | 55,000 | 36,115 |
2009 | 4,546,475 | 44,796 | 29,804 |
2010 | 4,016,170 | 40,324 | 29,716 |
2011 | 4,103,620 | 57,460 | 31,062 |
2012 | 4,313,685 | 58,011 | 29,095 |
2013 | 4,023,336 | 54,003 | 29,288 |
2014 | 4,033,954 | 50,973 | 30,073 |
2015 | 4,391,307 | 52,246 | 30,389 |
2016 | 5,147,546 | 55,155 | 7,597 |
2017 | 5,836,552 | 58,152 | 12,308 |
2018 | 6,269,025 | 60,541 | 27,672 |
2019 | 6,278,563 | 47,230 | 25,095 |
2020 | 1,747,086 | 19,416 | 27,946 |
2021 | 2,328,276 | 24,008 | |
2022 | 4,818,214 | 38,489 | |
2023 | 5,957,055 | 57,761 |
Busiest routes
Rank | Airport | Total passengers |
Change 2022-23 |
Airline(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester | 505,205 | 38.2% | easyJet, Ryanair |
2 | London–Stansted | 489,477 | 67.0% | easyJet, Ryanair |
3 | London–Gatwick | 484,490 | 3.1% | easyJet |
4 | Edinburgh | 433,876 | 41.1% | easyJet, Ryanair |
5 | Liverpool | 394,000 | 5.0% | easyJet |
6 | London–Luton | 364,837 | 12.6% | easyJet |
7 | Birmingham | 350,308 | 10.7% | easyJet |
8 | Glasgow | 310,049 | 3.2% | easyJet |
9 | Bristol | 272,144 | 8.6% | easyJet |
10 | Faro | 237,396 | 44.5% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair |
11 | Málaga | 214,506 | 37.5% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI |
12 | Newcastle | 205,878 | 5.7% | easyJet |
13 | Palma de Mallorca | 205,401 | 17.7% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI |
14 | Alicante |
187,725 | 18.2% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair |
15 | Tenerife–South |
147,970 | 24.8% | easyJet, Jet2.com, TUI |
16 | Paris–Charles de Gaulle | 107,095 | 39.0% | easyJet |
17 | Lanzarote | 90,116 | 13.7% | easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI |
18 | Amsterdam | 73,725 | 3.3% | easyJet |
19 | Dalaman | 52,247 | 14.4% | easyJet, Jet2.com, TUI |
20 | Kraków | 47,949 | 169.8% | easyJet, Ryanair |
Ground transport
Road
Travellers by car can reach the airport from Belfast via the M2 motorway. The airport operates four car parks, three on-site car parks and one off-site car park. The on-site short-stay and main car parks are situated within easy walking distance of the terminal building, and an on-demand courtesy bus operates to and from the on-site long-stay car park. The off-site short- or long-stay car park, called 'Park and Fly', is located just before the main entrance to the airport, and is also serviced by a courtesy bus.[46]
Bus
Train
The nearest railway station is
Accidents and incidents
- On 24 March 1996, British World Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when it made a wheels-up landing.[48]
- On 31 October 2010, a bomb was found inside a Toyota Carina parked in the long-stay car park; Army bomb disposal experts dismantled it. It is believed that the car and bomb had been in the car park since 2009. It was only discovered when workers were getting ready to tow the vehicle out of the car park. Many passengers had to spend the night in hotels or arrange alternative transport as they were unable to get to their cars.[49][50]
- On 3 April 2019, an easyJet Airbus A320-214 suffered damage during pushback when the towbar disconnected and the aircraft rolled forward, wedging the tug beneath the aircraft.[51]
References
- ^ "Ryanair Reopens Belfast International Base from Summer'23 – Ryanair's Corporate Website". 7 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Belfast/Aldergrove - EGAA". Nats-uk.ead-it.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Aircraft and passenger traffic data from UK airports". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- ^ "albertis - Belfast International Airport". Belfast International Airport. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Warner, Guy (March 2010). "Belfast International Airport". Airliner World: 92.
- ^ "Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd" (PDF). Flight. 8 February 1934.
- ^ "easyJet Route Map". easyJet. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2007.
- ^ "United to stop Belfast to New York flights". BBC News. 4 November 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ Jess, Mervyn (23 February 2015). "Belfast International Airport 'puts fun back into flying'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ O'Neill, Julian (23 February 2017). "Belfast gets two new air routes to US". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ "ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide, Inc. Announces Name Change". Airportsworldwide.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ^ "VINCI Airports enlarges its network of airports in the United States, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Sweden (24/04/2018) - Press releases - Media [VINCI]". Vinci.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ^ Beattie, Jilly (9 June 2018). "Qatar Airlines planing direct flights from Belfast to Doha". BelfastLive. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Fitzmaurice, Maurice (7 July 2022). "Ryanair announces Belfast 'comeback' with 12 destinations". BelfastLive. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Terminal Extension". Belfast International Airport. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Destination Map". Belfast International Airport. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Cheap Bulgaria Holidays, Flights to Bulgaria, Croatia Holidays, Montenegro, Slovenia and Romania". www.balkanholidays.co.uk/.
- ^ "Flights 2021/2022". easyJet.
- ^ a b "News for Airlines, Airports and the Aviation Industry | CAPA".
- ^ "easyJet launches eight new winter routes and thousands of easyJet holidays packages from the UK". easyJet.
- ^ "News for Airlines, Airports and the Aviation Industry | CAPA".
- ^ "Easyjet NS23 Network Additons Summary – 30Jan23". Aeroroutes. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "EasyJet expands Belfast International Airport base with direct route to Rhodes and 40 new jobs announced". Belfasttelegraph.
- ^ "Flight Timetable". jet2.com.
- ^ "Jet2.com and Jet2holidays put winter sun 2024-25 programme on sale". Travel Weekly.
- ^ a b "Jet2.com and Jet2holidays announce massive expansion for Summer 24 from Belfast International Airport". Belfast International Airport. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Bulgaria Ski from Belfast". travel-solutions.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Кацна първият чартърен полет за зимния сезон на летище Пловдив". Bgtourism.bg (in Bulgarian). 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Ryanair planning new winter flights to Porto, Turin and Warsaw from Belfast International". 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Ryanair Expected to Launch New Routes from Belfast for Summer '24".
- ^ a b "Flight Timetable". tui.co.uk.
- ^ "TUI to expand summer offering at Belfast International with direct flights to Tunisia and Cyprus". 26 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Flights with TUI | Thomson now TUI Airways".
- ^ "Destinations served". DHL.
- ^ "FBO/VIP Handling". Woodgate Aviation. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ Epstein, Curt. "Northern Ireland Airport Gets New FBO". Aviation International News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "Handling Agents". Belfast International Airport. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "BlueSky Business Aviation News - blueskynews.aero". www.blueskynews.aero. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "UK airport data | UK Civil Aviation Authority". www.caa.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ https://www.vinci.com/commun/communiques.nsf/6D529D6EECC7BC2AC1258AA6003CE67E/$file/vinci-airports--traffic-31-december-2023.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Number of Passengers, Freight and Mail include both domestic and international counterparts.
- ^ Number of Movements represents total air transport takeoffs and landings during that year.
- ^ "Airport Data 2021". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 6 June 2021. Tables 12.1(XLS) and 12.2 (XLS). Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Belfast International Airport Parking - Park and Fly". Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Translink to explore reopening Belfast airport train line after 20 years". Belfast Live. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
- ^ "Small bomb found in car at Belfast International Airport". BBC News. 31 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018.
- ^ "Belfast International Airport bomb 'there for a year'". BBC News. 1 November 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "AAIB investigation to Airbus A320-214, G-EZWC". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
External links
Media related to Belfast International Airport at Wikimedia Commons