Bristol Airport in southwest England has unveiled its plans to relieve congestion in the arrivals border control area with the implementation of 10 new ePassport gates and the redevelopment of the immigration hall.
The £2.3m (US$2.8m) project will take the number of passport control points from the current 10 to a total of 17 when it opens in spring 2017. As well as introducing new equipment, the work will enlarge the immigration hall, which will be redesigned to create a more welcoming environment and streamline the border process for passengers. The airport has also revealed that a further £2.3m (US$2.8m) will be invested in a new reception center and improvements to the Silver Zone car park.
These improvements build on upgrades to other arrivals areas delivered as part of the current £24m (US$29m) west terminal extension project, including enlarged meet and greet and baggage reclaim zones, and a new World Duty Free store for arriving passengers.
The new generation ePassport gates can be used by passengers aged 12 years and over, whereas the current automated passport gates are limited to over 18s only.
Robert Sinclair, CEO, Bristol Airport, said, “Completion of the west terminal extension will enable us to turn our attention to the immigration area, where passengers can sometimes wait longer than we would like at the busiest times. By enlarging and reconfiguring this area and introducing the latest Border Force technology we aim to make arriving at Bristol Airport as fast and efficient as possible.”
