August 08

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Now that the schools have broken up, the busiest part of the summer season at Bristol International has begun. With thousands of families flying off on their holidays over the next few weeks, we are delighted that improvements to our terminal are now complete. Seven x-ray machines are now in operation in our extended security search area, meaning passengers will have more time to enjoy relaxing in Caviar House, the new seafood bar, and our new table-service restaurant, Dexters.

As well as these high profile developments, there is always plenty of work going on behind the scenes at the airport to build stronger relationships with our neighbouring communities. I hope you enjoy reading about some of these initiatives below.

Have an enjoyable summer and, if you are flying from Bristol International, bon voyage!

Paul Kehoe,
Chief Executive

SEAMLESS SERVICE FOR PASSENGERS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY

Passengers with reduced mobility can now enjoy a seamless service from arrival at the airport to boarding their flight thanks to a new service provided for Bristol International by experts in the field, OCS. Assistance remains free of charge to passengers, and can be arranged in advance by contacting the airline you are travelling with. Not only is this great news for less mobile travellers, but it has also created 28 new jobs at the airport.

EAT, DRINK AND RELAX!

The bars and restaurants at Bristol International have been given a makeover to better meet your needs. A table-service restaurant, Dexter's, is now open, offering a great menu throughout the day, while Caviar House caters for those wishing to start their journey in style by enjoying champagne and seafood in relaxing surroundings. The Echo Bar has now been extended (we believe it may be the longest bar in North Somerset!) and a new Soho Coffee outlet is now open landside.

FLYER ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL CROWD

The Bristol International Flyer, the express coach service linking the airport to Bristol city centre, is proving popular with overseas visitors. Online bookings have been taken from ten countries around the world, with passengers clearly appreciating a convenient, value for money means to get to hotels, attractions or rail connections via Temple Meads. The Flyer drew a particularly cosmopolitan clientele during the Glastonbury Festival weekend in June, with colourful festival-goers flocking to the South West from across the globe.

UP FOR THE CUP

Bristol Internationals role in bringing visitors to the region was illustrated in May when 10,000 rugby fans descended on the airport en route to the Heineken Cup Final in Cardiff. Local coach companies worked overtime to transport supporters from Munster and Toulouse over the Severn, while local hotels and bars benefited from extra business generated by those who stayed on to celebrate or drown their sorrows!

HUB TREND HELPS REDUCE ROAD JOURNEYS

Over 10,000 passengers per week now travel from Bristol International to major international hubs such as Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Newark. This reflects a trend identified by CAA research indicating that business travellers are increasingly turning away from Heathrow, preferring to fly from regional airports and connect to their onward destination via a hub. We are working hard to encourage even more local businesses to use the hub option, as it has clear benefits in cutting out emissions from unnecessary road journeys to airports outside the region.

KEEPING QUEUES TO A MINIMUM

Work on the extension of the security search area is now complete, with two new state-of-the-art x-ray machines making the journey to the departure lounge much quicker. But for those who want to guarantee the swiftest possible journey, a new Fly Thru option is now available, giving you the option of using a dedicated channel at a cost of £5.

WALK FOR A DIABETES CURE

A reminder that Airport Chief Executive, Paul Kehoe, has been chosen by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) as Chairman of its Ninth Annual Bristol Walk to Cure Diabetes. The five mile walk will take place on Sunday 7th September at Oldbury Court Estate, and will raise money to fund vital research into type one diabetes. Companies and individuals wanting more information about the Walk should contact JDRF on 0117 945 2491.

FRENCH DIGNITARIES ENJOY LOCAL FARE

Back in May a delegation of 50 VIPs from Beziers in south west France visited Bristol International to mark the launch of Ryanair's three-times weekly service the French towns first international connection. The group were given a whistlestop tour of Bath before sampling a slice of village life at the Bear & Swan in Chew Magna, where they sampled locally produced Butcombe beer and Thatchers cider!

YOUNG FILM-MAKERS TO BUILD INTERNATIONAL LINKS

Bristol International is getting behind an exchange programme with a difference by donating £1,000 to a film-making project aimed at building links between young people in Bristol, its twin city, Hannover in Germany, and Poznan in Poland. All Bristol participants will be drawn from pupils at the City Academy in Bristol.

BACKWELL COMMUNITY PLAN OPEN DAY

Members of the Bristol International team attended the Backwell Community Plan Open Day in June. Feedback was positive, and a new display stand showing every town or city linked to Bristol by a direct flight proved a talking point. It also provided a great opportunity to spread the word about both our community fund and Sense of Place initiative more details click below.

Find out more

AIRPORT BACKS SCHOOL SPORT IN NORTH SOMERSET

With the help of a donation of £1,500 from Bristol International, the North Somerset Festival of Sport gave more than 500 local children the opportunity to compete in their very own Olympic-style event. On June 25th pupils from 40 primary, junior and special schools in the area converged on Hutton Moor leisure centre to take part in sports ranging from athletics, orienteering, lacrosse, rounders, tag rugby, tennis and volleyball. The festival was part of North Somerset Partnerships Go4Life campaign to encourage healthy and active lifestyles, and every participant received a t-shirt and medal by which to remember a fantastic day.

JOB VACANCIES

There are currently over 50 vacancies at Bristol International, ranging from sales roles with WH Smith to customer care agents with OCS (see above). For more information, or for copies of advertisements to display on community noticeboards, please contact the Bristol International People Team at careers@bristolairport.com.

INTRODUCING SUE WATSON

In the second of our series helping you get to know some of the people behind the scenes at Bristol International, we introduce Sue Watson of OCS, the organisation responsible for delivering a seamless service to passengers with reduced mobility.

I have worked at Bristol International for twelve years, starting with Air2000/ First Choice Airways as a Ground Operations Coordinator focusing on customer service. After five years I became their Ground Operations Manager. I recently changed roles to become Airport Services Manager for OCS Transport. From 1st July OCS became responsible for assisting passengers with reduced mobility. In this new role I am hoping to combine my customer service experience and understanding of airline operations to achieve the highest standards of service. I have a great team of 25 permanent staff, supplemented by part time people, consisting of drivers, customer service agents and controllers. These are all new opportunities that have been created at Bristol International Airport.

"I feel very privileged to be in a role which enables me to meet the customers who are being assisted by our new service".

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