BUSINESS FIRST NORTHERN IRELAND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2017
You ain’ t seen nothing yet at Belfast International Airport
By Graham Keddie, Managing Director, Belfast International Airport
he best is yet to come … To use the local vernacular, 2016 was a‘ belter’. As we
Tlook ahead, we can say that 2017 will be even better.
Belfast International Airport was a hive of activity across all fronts in 2016. In terms of passenger numbers, we returned to the top ten of UK airports, and that was hugely satisfying.
By the end of the year, we’ d broken through the five millionpassenger mark, and came close to our prerecession record of 5.3 million. In 2017, we will surpass that tally and establish a new passenger record somewhere‘ north’ of 5.4 million.
Passenger growth has delivered results across several fronts. On the employment side, airport businesses have expanded their workforces by almost 1,000 employees. The new jobs are in every business located at the airport site, from airside catering and apron operations to police, fire and retail outlets. That fact alone, makes the airport one of the main job creators in Northern Ireland in 2016. additional units, three kiosks and additional
As airlines consolidate new routes and space for existing food and beverage market vastly increased capacity, we will providers. undoubtedly see further employment growth What’ s happening at one of our food and to meet demand. There is some cynicism beverage outlets is a pointed worth noting. about the ratio of new jobs to route
This one firm will be out again shortly on the development, but all I can say is that our recruitment trail. It will create fifteen numbers directly reflect the recognised permanent posts and, ahead of the summer industry standard which states that one’ 17 peak, it will add twentyone seasonal staff. million passengers equate to 900plus new It will need every one of its 132 permanent jobs. staff and eightysix seasonal workers to keep
Ryanair, which now operates a network of pace with growing customer demand. Every twelve routes to GB and mainland European, day, this multimillion pound business sells and substantially increased capacity by more than 1,300 hot drinks and nearly 600 Northern Ireland’ s main airline, easyJet, have pints of beer. Over the year, the powerful had a profound effect on our dramatic mainstay that is the Ulster Fry weighed in at growth. Jet2 has also boosted capacity, and close to 55,000 meals. jobs, which will go to underpinning
Success is fuelling success. Not far from the forecasted passenger expansion in 2017. Terminal, a new £ 2.5 million retail and fuel
All of this is driven by passengers with a forecourt will soon be taking shape adjacent seemingly insatiable appetite for value. to our popular Park and Fly facility. This Gatwick is Northern Ireland’ s most popular development will feature strong brand names destination in London, served by twelve in its 10,500 sq ft investment. flights aday by both easyJet and Ryanair
The company with the confidence to invest from the International. It eclipses Heathrow, is Moorefield Contracts and even before this and when London Luton and Stansted are initial development is open for business, its added, it means that more than 65 % of planning a second retail and forecourt project journeys from Northern Ireland to the capital and has its sights set on rolling out a number are made from the International Airport. of similar developments across Northern
The surge in passenger numbers has led to Ireland and GB. a retailing boom in our airside outlets.
On its own, this project will lead to thirtyfive permanent jobs, which will mean the
Maplins joined the list late last year and their arrival meant that all available shop units injection of more than £ 500,000 in wages were occupied. annually into the local economy. We’ re looking at reconfiguring what space Further private sector investments of this remains to accommodate three new and greater magnitude are on the cards in
2017. We will see hundreds of new jobs created as this vital strategic asset for Northern Ireland continues to deliver access, choice, jobs, competition and opportunities.
Vastly increased activity at the airport is also putting pressure on our main approach roads. The local administration must recognise that its timeframes for significant road investments, such as a dualcarriageway from the M2 with a bypass at Templepatrick, have are reexamined urgently. Putting major infrastructure investment on the longfinger is now longer wise or sensible.
Of course, this growth has been with the impediment of Air Passenger Duty( APD). If the Government did away with this obnoxious and lazy levy, we would see millions more passengers flying in and out of Belfast. It would lead to new routes – we currently have in excess of seventy scheduled and chartered destinations on Departure Screens – and new airlines capable of delivering major benefits for our tourism industry.
While the government considers what to do with APD, we will continue to work with Invest NI and the Department for the Economy on new longhaul routes to Canada and the United States. United will discontinue its service in early January and the search for a replacement carrier is being pursued with urgency.
2017 will be a bumper year for us. What has happened in 2016 was impressive, but I can safely say that in the year ahead, it will be a case of saying‘ you ain’ t seen nothing yet!’
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