programmes from Liverpool.
The future phases of the building programme will see additional gates built for aircraft and a new rooftop restaurant. New shops will also open in 26,000sq ft of retail space.
The airport’s major shareholder Peel Holdings took a 76% stake in the airport in 1997 with a pledge to enhance the northwest facility.
Peel Holdings deputy chairman Robert Hough said:”The nation’s major airports are operating at capacity levels, so there is a strong demand for regional airports to absorb the number of passengers.”
He said the company’s aim was to encourage more low-cost flights from the airport to allow greater access to mainland Europe from Liverpool.
The investment, £8m of which is coming from European Regional Development funds, will also mean that the airport will employ 3,000 people in total within the next 10 years.
EasyJet said its decision to open a second hub to complement its Luton headquarters persuaded Liverpool to invest in terminal improvements. A spokesman said Liverpool’s plan would meet EasyJet’s future needs.
The carrier launches thrice-daily flights to Luton from Liverpool this Friday, following the start of Madrid services earlier this month. It is also considering a Stansted service.
LIVERPOOL Airport has unveiled plans to build a £38m terminal to cope with growing traffic from low-cost and charter carriers.
The 200,000sq ft building will open by spring 2002 and will give the airport capacity to handle 2.1m passengers a year. Additional enhancements will give the airport a 3m capacity by 2008.
Liverpool will handle 1.2m customers this year, up from 900,000 in 1998. The existing terminal is facing overcrowding problems as a result of the increase in the number of passengers using the airport.
The increase has been fuelled by the growth in the number of low-cost carriers using the airport. EasyJet has set up its second UK hub at the airport; Ryanair has shifted flights from Manchester; and some tour operators are launching new programmes from Liverpool.
The future phases of the building programme will see additional gates built for aircraft and a new rooftop restaurant. New shops will also open in 26,000sq ft of retail space.
The airport’s major shareholder Peel Holdings took a 76% stake in the airport in 1997 with a pledge to enhance the northwest facility.
Peel Holdings deputy chairman Robert Hough said:”The nation’s major airports are operating at capacity levels, so there is a strong demand for regional airports to absorb the number of passengers.”
He said the company’s aim was to encourage more low-cost flights from the airport to allow greater access to mainland Europe from Liverpool.
The investment, £8m of which is coming from European Regional Development funds, will also mean that the airport will employ 3,000 people in total within the next 10 years.
EasyJet said its decision to open a second hub to complement its Luton headquarters persuaded Liverpool to invest in terminal improvements. A spokesman said Liverpool’s plan would meet EasyJet’s future needs.
The carrier launches thrice-daily flights to Luton from Liverpool this Friday, following the start of Madrid services earlier this month. It is also considering a Stansted service.