Expansion plans at Newcastle International Airport look set to be approved by city leaders next week.
The airport wants to build an enhanced baggage claim area and larger departure lounge to boost its capacity and prevent overcrowding at busy times.
The three-storey extension to the travel hub’s eastern terminal is now earmarked for approval by Newcastle City Council’s planning committee at a meeting next Friday, 6 June.
Airport bosses say that installing an extra luggage carousel would provide improved capacity to meet the demand of large flights, such as Emirates planes arriving from Dubai.
Extending the departure lounge could also allow for the addition of new shops, bars, restaurants, and seating areas.
In a report due to be presented to cllrs at next week’s meeting, city planners say that the changes were “proportionate and in keeping” with the airport and its surroundings, following a previous £3 million terminal extension in 2017, and would not result in a major spike in passenger numbers.
They added: “The reasons for the extension of the terminal building are to provide more space for baggage handling facilities, and more space for departing and arriving passengers during peak periods where congestion is occurring. Any significant traffic growth is limited by the airside operational capacity, which this application is not seeking to increase. The development is not expected to generate significant increases in overall passenger numbers at the airport that could be assessed to result in a severe impact on the local highway network.”
In its planning application, the airport stated that a crowded departure lounge and long waits for baggage to arrive were “reducing the passenger experience”.
It said: “As a result of the above, the proposed extension would create additional space to alleviate congestion in the existing areas.
“The additional space in the international baggage arrivals area would provide an additional baggage carousel. This would help to improve efficiency to ensure the airport can meet demand when larger aircraft such as the Emirates arrives during the early afternoon peak.
“The extension to the departure lounge would allow additional space to add retail or refreshment facilities with views out across the Airport apron. This would provide additional seating areas to alleviate congestion during peak summer periods.”
