A £73 million extension to Gatwick’s North Terminal will house all British Airways services at the airport. The expanded terminal will allow passengers to do more for themselves, from checking-in and choosing seats to printing their own baggage tags.
BA customer service staff will be on hand to help passengers use the self-service kiosks and baggage podiums. Dedicated ‘care desks’ will be available to travellers needing additional help plus a designated customer service area for premium passengers.
More than 4.5 million passengers fly on BA services to and from Gatwick every year to 45 domestic, European and long haul destinations. The first new route to operate from the new terminal will be a Mauritius service which moves to Gatwick from Heathrow on November 1.
BA’s Gatwick managing director Silla Maizey said: “We know that many of our customers appreciate the opportunity to do more for themselves, like self-service check-in, choosing seats and printing their own boarding cards – and for the first time British Airways passengers will be able to print their own bag tags.
“We’re giving them the freedom to be in control, but with the knowledge that our customer service staff will be on hand if they need them.”
Airport chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Our £1.2 billion investment programme to transform the airport experience for passengers, reducing queues and delivering a smoother check-in experience with more self-service options has been one of our key priorities.
“The new British Airways check-in area, which is part of our £73 million investment to extend the North Terminal arrivals area, is a fantastic example of innovation and is evidence that they, like Gatwick, are putting the emphasis on delivering excellent customer service for the passenger.”
Wingate officially opened the extension on October 13 with BA chief executive Keith Williams.