Belfast International Airport ready for 2.3 million summer rush passengers

Belfast International Airport is expected to deal with a record 2.3 million passengers between now and the end of September.
Flying out of Belfast International airportFlying out of Belfast International airport
Flying out of Belfast International airport

According to a statement released by the airport the peak months of July and August will see more than 1.2 million passengers pass through its doors en route to and from a wide range of UK and international points.

In May alone, 523,000 passengers used Northern Ireland’s principal airport - another record month.

The airport, however, expects to manage 30,000 air transport movements during the period.

Belfast International Airport Business Development Director, Uel Hoey, said: “We’re experiencing consistent growth in traffic, and this summer we will see passenger numbers reach a new high.

“We’re seeing a very notable increase in the number of passengers from the Republic of Ireland. A favourable £/€ exchange rate is boosting cross-border traffic, particularly from the border counties. Travellers are motivated by a bargain, and with a weaker pound, there’s never been a better time to choose one of our airlines.

“It’s busier than ever before at the airport, and BIA and our retail, catering, security and operational partners have taken on additional staff to cope with demand.

Obviously, we would urge passengers to leave themselves plenty of time to park and make their way through the airport on their way to the Departure Gates.

“We cannot over-emphasise how important it is not to leave things to the last minute. We’re also posting on-line our Top Tips for passengers which will serve as a useful guide for travelling through the airport on their way to a relaxing experience.”

The statement added that 2017 is a "record year for international coverage with ninety direct destinations overall".

Now easyJet, Ryanair, Virgin, Jet2, Thomas Cook and Thomson have added capacity and routes which are in addition to Norwegian’s new transatlantic services to New York and New England (Providence/Boston), which get underway on 1st July.