Airline passenger news and views

This is good news, expansion of Bristol Airport means loads of new jobs and a boost to the local economy.

My concern about the airport expansion is about the increase in traffic by those flying from Bristol international - a spur road direct from the Clevedon junction to join up with the existing 'non-ring' road that ends at Keynsham is called for so that traffic avoids Bristol city centre, but that's a plan for another day...

So the 'Stop Bristol Airport Expansion' coalition formed by Bristol Friends of the Earth, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and other groups and individuals in North Somerset, Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset - failed on this one.

I have sympathy with both David and Jessica above. I live near Frome and so am far enough away from the airport not to be affected but close enough to get the benefits.

I think regional airports are a great idea but they do need to be tied in with a road and rail, access plan.

In Sweden we have space but also a big country to cover. We have found the regional airports to be very successful. These are used a great amount.

When planning a flight most people focus on flying out of major airports, hopping from one metropolitan area to another. Plotting a course that starts in a regional airport can lead to significant savings and less hassle.

Yes, smaller airports tend to be less busy, you are more likely to get through security checks and other procedures a lot more quickly, eliminating any long waits in snaking queues.

I think regional airports are the future. I use Southampton from time to time and it is simply fantastic. Compare it with Gatwick or Heathrow and it is like chalk and cheese.

It is likely that travellers will soon be able to fly to even more far-flung destinations from regional airports as airlines seek to serve a wider cross-section of holidaymakers and as airports add more facilities and staff to cope with extra demand.

I have used Bristol Airport twice since April. Seating is fully occupied almost all of the time and there is very little space apart from the retail area. The walk to flights leaving from the western apron is lengthy; they allow for this by calling flights well before they are due to leave. OK if you are reasonably mobile, but are there more seats when you get to your gate? Guess. So that is another 15 minutes of standing around. As before, the queue for passport checks on arrival is laughably long most of the time (the new scanners were not working this week - though were on my previous visit).

Why do people moan and complain about issues such as the expansion of the airport, when we all know that if an inquiry takes place, far more money will be spent, the costs for the airport will spiral, and we all end up paying way too much

Give it rest and let progress take place

The 'Stop Bristol Airport Expansion' was a valid campaign to try and stop the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, the use of green fields for parking thousands of cars, increased traffic on our narrow roads and an extra 6 flights per hour on average (and worse at busy times), I am sorry they failed.

I have always enjoyed travelling from Bristol Airport and still do so frequently even though I now live in Birmingham as I often get better flight times/prices from Bristol. I agree the facilities are totally inadequate, but they are doing the best with the small space that they have. Considering the catchment area and rate of growth, the terminal probably needs to be twice the size it currently is now, without taking into account future growth. This airport urgently needs more facilities landside and airside, air bridges to aircraft, better parking, on site hotel and ultimately a longer runway so we can get some decent sized aircraft there.

Over the last 10 years of regular travelling from Bristol Airport, I have seen it degrade from a bright shiny new terminal with plenty of light airy seating, to where seating and comfort of the customers is secondary to maximising retail floor space. At busy periods, gate queues snake around confusingly and without enough space to be properly managed, and seating is so scarce now that only a slight uplift in passenger numbers sees groups of people sat on the floor and in any number of odd places. A generally unpleasant experience these days, and one which I would try and avoid if possible.

I do not know if the on-going expansion of Bristol Airport will address the space problem, but if not there will be major problems in the summer - the amount of physical space available even for standing has been reduced drastically. Where is one supposed to go if one does not want overpriced food and drink? There are still good things about Bristol: the long-stay car park is expensive but a two minute walk from the terminal building and on Saturday we checked-in, went through departure control and security in about five minutes total (it was a quiet time of day). The management need to be aware that one of best UK airport experiences (in my opinion) is rapidly approaching average at best.

Bristol Airport is certainly an under-utilised regional facility, it is good news that they are expanding to handle a potential increase in passenger numbers.