The Expansion Plans Of Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh airport clearly plays a key role in the prosperity and growth of Edinburgh as a city and Scotland as a country. A recent study has found that the site employs more than seven thousand people in vital airport roles, retail spaces and car hire provisions. By 2013, the executives believe that this number will increase by at least another two thousand people. With such a direct input into the Scottish economy it is certain that the site has much to consider when looking at development plans. In terms of a financial figure for the level of investment of Edinburgh airport into the economy it is around three hundred million pounds a year.

Edinburgh Airport however plays a more important role than the employment provided by the car hire services, shops and restaurants contained in the terminal. As the major link to Scotland for tourists and business operatives it acts as a gateway to Edinburgh and Glasgow. As such, the site is hoping to increase the numbers of international flights operating from the airport. It is widely accepted that the key to Scotland's prosperity is its two major cities in terms of tourism and business and having a major air transportation link is a means of improving this prosperity, not only for the city, but for the country and more widely the global economy.

BAA, the owners of Edinburgh Airport are heavily committed to expanding the services provided by the airport as a way to put in place long term economic plans; part of this is to increase the number of accessible destinations but equally important is to increase the revenue generated by car hire desks, restaurants and shops in the airport itself. BAA is acutely aware that the improvement of airports throughout the country is an important part of increasing the nation's financial position and economic growth. BAA has a clear objective for Edinburgh, to make it one of the major airports in Europe with the facilities to cope with large passenger numbers promoting the sustainable growth of the Scottish economy.

As a result of the governments white paper of air travel in the UK all airports have had to release a master plan for the growth and expansion of the airport up until the year 2030. Fundamentally this development has been split into two distinct time frames; short terms goals up until 2013 and long term objectives up until 2030. This master plan sets out specific developments that will take place over the next twenty five years.

These development goals include an expansion of the terminal and the facilities contained within it such as retail space and car hire provisions. The terminal must expand if the objective to increase passenger numbers from eight to thirteen million annually will be possible whilst additionally, the runway and apron space will also have to be enlarged and improved to cope with the increased number of flights. It is not purely the airport site however that will need to be improved; the master plan sets out the importance of improving the transport infrastructure to and from the airport in terms of rail and road links. All of this development however has to be carried out sympathetically; major concerns include the quality of life of local residents and the impact upon the environment of increased air traffic.

Hopefully this article has highlighted the importance of Edinburgh airport to the prosperity of the city and Scotland, but also the United Kingdom. Growth and expansion are essential elements in this should the site continue to be an important part of Scotland's economic plans and development.

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