London Biggin Hill Airport is pressing ahead with long-planned developments in the new year, undeterred by a year of extensive disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic.
While overall business aviation traffic has been down across the UK, the privately-owned airport said it has maintained and even expanded market share by offering flexibility for operators through services such as its new on-site Covid test facility for passengers and aircrew. Along with Farnborough Airport, it has accounted for the bulk of the traffic heading in and out of the UK capital.
In March, the airport expects to break ground on a new four-star hotel, as well as a new terminal building and an air traffic control tower. The 54-room hotel will include a restaurant, lounge, and gym.
Meanwhile, construction work is continuing to build Bombardier’s new 250,000-sq-ft service center. When it opens in the first quarter of 2022, it will be able to accommodate up to 14 of the Canadian manufacturer’s large-cabin Global 7500s. According to Biggin Hill Airport head of marketing Andy Patsalides, the building’s core structural steelwork and cantilever roof are now complete.
The airport is also poised to receive approval for a new instrument approach for Runway 3, which will add this capability at both ends of its main runway. The management team estimates that this step alone could increase traffic by around 10 percent.