News / Investment boost for Sumburgh airport
SHETLAND’S main airport, at Sumburgh, has been earmarked for a multi-million pound overhaul in response to ever rising passenger numbers.
The number of people passing through the airport for the year between March 2013 and February 2014 rose by a staggering 36 per cent to 283,000.
Airport manager Nigel Flaws said on Monday that refurbishing work on hangars three and four was ongoing with the view to having helicopter operators established in all the airport’s hangars later this year.
The main driver of growth at Sumburgh is the offshore oil and gas industry (up 64 per cent), but also scheduled flights, operated by Flybe/Loganair (up 10 per cent).
There are also a significant number of charter planes arriving at the airport, mainly linked to the £800 million Shetland gas plant, which is being built by French energy giant Total near the Sullom Voe Terminal.
Flaws said that work on refurbishing the helicopter departure and arrival lounge, as well as the terminal’s upper floor lounge, would commence later this summer.
Redeveloping the building’s check-in and security areas is scheduled to take place next year.
The airport manager said Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) was confident that business would continue to be buoyant for the foreseeable future.
HIAL managing director Inglis Lyon added: “The unprecedented growth at Sumburgh is fantastic news for the local economy and underlines the important role the airport plays as a major energy hub for Scotland.
“Continued growth in the energy sector and in scheduled services means we need to invest for the future to accommodate the forecast growth in demand.
“We are confident we can attract more energy related business to our airports, particularly Wick John O’Groats and Sumburgh.
“The recent agreement between BP and Eastern to operate energy related flights between Aberdeen and Sumburgh is a sign of the potential for growth.”
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