A new airport terminal at L.F. Wade International Airport will soon welcome people flying to Bermuda. The Government of Bermuda has passed a series of bills concerning the Airport Redevelopment Project.
After more than two years of feasibility studies and negotiations, the airport has been given the green light for expansion.
This is great news as the new terminal is projected to boost the nation’s economy. Last year’s recession has hit the country hard, and the expansion is seen as a step towards recovery and eventually, growth.
Considering that Bermuda enjoyed a 17 percent increase in tourists last year, the new terminal is expected to contribute greatly to the current surge of flyers and their overall travel experience when entering the country.
An artist’s impression of the proposed terminal can be seen above.
Currently passengers will be using the existing terminal as these won’t be affected by major development works. The new terminal will be constructed in a separate location.
Additionally, the approved bills also include necessary repairs and refurbishment to the existing terminal, which means that the whole L.F. Wade International Airport, as well as the people that pass through it, will benefit from the improvements.
And as early as now, business owners are already preparing for the tourism trend in the foreseeable future. The New Hampshire-based PlaneSense, for instance, has opened flight routes via its private jets to Bermuda for its fractional owners.
Union Leader mentioned that the company is even expanding its fleet and ordered Pilatus PC-24 jets to accommodate the requests for flights to new destinations including Bermuda.
This move and other similar initiatives are expected to bring in more business owners and investors to Bermuda, contributing to the country’s economy in the process. America’s Cup, the most prestigious competition in yachting, which will be hosted by the nation this May is anticipated to increase tourism levels as well.
A New Management Team
The airport infrastructure is not the only thing that will change, as the existing terminal will also be handled by Bermuda Skyport Corporation once the company has been launched.
The firm will manage airport revenues and split them for the repair and maintenance work to be carried out on the existing terminal, construction of the new terminal, airport personnel salaries, investor profits and contributions to the Government of Bermuda.
Collective Modernisation
Apart from Bermuda, other British overseas territories are also investing in improving their airport services such as Gibraltar which recently formed a partnership with Redline Assured Security according to a report by Aviation Pros to further advance its aviation security processes. And in the mainland, similar steps have been taken.
The blog post ‘Heathrow in Search of Perfection’ by airport parking specialists Parking4Less highlighted how the famous airport has developed the Queen’s Terminal which now provides flyers entering and leaving London with high-end boutique shops and celebrity-run restaurants among other things.
Airport modernisation is a crucial component in the growth of a nation, as air hubs are major infrastructures, which allow access to their respective locations, ultimately opening doors for tourism and subsequently, boosting the economy.
