George Best Belfast City Airport to invest £15m

Belfast’s George Best Belfast City Airport is to embark on a £15 million investment programme.

It is the first new investment project since it was acquired by the London listed venture capital group 3i as part of a deal estimated at £500 million last year.

Brian Ambrose, chief executive of Belfast City Airport, told a stakeholder meeting in Belfast on Tuesday that the investment programme would “future-proof” the airport and will include upgrades of existing facilities including its central security area and hold baggage screening facilities.

As part of the investment programme the airport intends to expand both its existing retail offering and food and beverage facilities.

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It intends that all of the work will be contained within the current terminal building and will be completed by next October.

Tourism and city council chiefs have welcome the city airport’s expansion plans.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland: “This investment is excellent news for Belfast and for tourism to Northern Ireland. As an island, direct, convenient and competitive air access is critical to delivering growth in inbound tourism and any improvement in the experience of our overseas visitors, including travelling through our airports, is very much welcomed,” he said.