The boss of Belfast International Airport has said passenger numbers are slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels and he is hopeful of a successful summer season.
Graham Keddie, managing director, said the airport enjoyed its busiest day in over two years last Monday when around 18,000 travellers passed through the terminal as restrictions relax and passengers become more confident with travel.
Like many airports across the country, Belfast is working to build back operations that were scaled back as a result of the pandemic.
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The airport will be offering over 50 destinations as well as a number of new routes this summer including TUI to Kos, easyJet to Menorca and Jet2 to Verona along with the return of the Virgin Atlantic service to Orlando.
It has been putting preparations in place for a busy holiday season over the coming weeks as many people prepare to travel for the first time in over two years.
"We have an improving situation in terms of traffic returning and restrictions being lifted all over the place. It is good to see people back travelling more and we're hoping that will continue. There's a buzz about the place again too which makes a big difference," Mr Keddie told Belfast Live.
To help meet the expected strong demand, the airport has been working on an ongoing campaign to recruit over 200 roles at all levels throughout the terminal.
This includes the reopening of most food and retail units and comes as many airports, including Dublin, have been struggling with staffing issues leading to long queues.
In terms of preparing for a busy season ahead and one of its busiest seasons since 2019, Belfast International has been recruiting constantly for months and is beginning to make progress.
The airport, which was recently hit by a number of cancellations and delays from its main airline, easyJet, has around 1,000 fewer staff members compared to pre-Covid when almost 5,000 people worked across the entire site.
"We are probably sitting at over 4,000 but those jobs are coming back pretty quickly and we expect those numbers to climb steadily. Every company we have on site is recruiting and will continue to do so also," Mr Keddie explained.
"We have held two job fairs already and more are planned in the coming weeks so we are starting to see new faces joining teams right across the airport every week and in all departments."
According to Mr Keddie, he is specifically engaged in a process of backfilling security personnel positions that will assist in reducing security queuing times for passengers going forward.
"This does take time as there are mandatory training and background security checks that must be completed for all staff working at an airport. We plan to keep recruiting as passenger numbers continue to increase," he added.
"We would like to remind passengers of the importance of arriving well in advance, at least two hours before their flight departs, and coming to the airport fully prepared with all relevant documentation."
Belfast International Airport has shared advice for passengers planning to travel over the busy period.
The airport is advising all customers to follow five simple tips that will help speed up the check in process and ensure they get through security in good time so they can enjoy their airport experience:
Check travel requirements
Always double-check travel requirements to and from your chosen destination before you leave for the airport and make sure you have the correct documentation ready at check-in.
Arrive on time
Check with your airline for the latest information on your flight and arrive when your airline advises. The airport recommends you arrive at least two hours before your flight departs.
Keep travel essentials handy
Make sure your tickets and boarding pass, travel insurance, driving licence, currency and credit cards are safe but easily accessible. It’s also mindful to carry a charger for your smartphone and have your airline information ready.
Remove liquids
Remember, you can only take liquids in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100ml on the plane. Each item should be removed from hand luggage and placed in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag of not more than one litre capacity per passenger.
Click here for hand luggage information
Get set for security
Before reaching security, it’s a good idea to remove your laptop, tablet or similar electronic devices from your hand luggage to be inspected separately. Coats, jackets and belts should also be removed.
For more information visit Security | Belfast International Airport (belfastairport.com)
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