Story ID: 019touchingbasesAINSept13EditedByAY_NM
UK FBO Gets Charter Handling Approval
By: Curt Epstein
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Word Count: 236
Bristol Flying Centre (BFC), the recently expanded FBO at Bristol Airport, has received authorization from the UK Department for Transport to handle all charter flights from its new facility. Previously, the location could not handle charter aircraft of more than 22,000 pounds unless they were privately owned. The company’s management worked with airport officials to earn the authorizations to ensure the appropriate level of security for all private aircraft movements. 
  
“It has been our plan to create a world-leading business aviation site at Bristol Airport, and the airport management team have been instrumental in helping to make this happen,” said BFC Group CEO Phil Brockwell. “Our FBO is only a short taxi to the runway and 10 yards from our ramp. This combined with a dedicated security gate to enable direct access for vehicles to the aircraft, ensures that our continued development of the BFC FBO makes perfect sense for passengers, operators and the airport.” 
  
The improved facility features two lounges dedicated to screened and unscreened passengers. The FBO features an onsite UK Border Force checkpoint that can handle customs and immigration so private passengers do not have to leave the facility.
  
As a result of the closure of Filton Airport in South Gloucestershire at the end of last year for redevelopment, BFC–now the lone FBO in southwest England–has experienced growth of 170 percent so far this year.