Airport unveils first phase of €15m transformation programme

WORK has recently been completed on phase one of the €15m facilities investment plan at Ireland West Airport.

The works are aimed at further improving the customer experience for passengers and transforming the airport over the next three years.

You can watch the video to see phase one of completed works at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d6KMCD9OMU&t=2s.

Over €4.5m has been invested in the first phase of improvements, which have been underway for the past 18 months, covering new passenger facilities, terminal upgrades and infrastructural works across the airport facility and runway.

The airport continues to invest, with the support of the Department of Transport, Department of Community and Rural Affairs, local authority stakeholders and customers through their development fee contributions, which has enabled it reinvest in upgrading its facilities whilst ensuring compliance with Irish Aviation Authority requirements from a safety, security and operational perspective.

Phase 1 projects recently completed include:

· Construction and re-modelling of new toilet facilities at the airport

· Re-modelling of immigration and arrivals area creating increased circulation space for arriving passengers

· Covered aircraft passenger boarding stairs for passengers boarding and disembarking aircraft

· Enhancement of the airport experience from a visual perspective helping to create a combination of a lighter and brighter passenger environment and contemporary look and feel throughout the airport terminal.

· Resurfacing of car park zone 5, resulting in 250 permanent surfaced car park spaces less than five minutes walk from the terminal

· Upgrade of existing car park equipment to the latest state of the art equipment

· Construction of a new aviation gallery in the first floor of the terminal building

· Installation of 25 new flight information display screens across the airport terminal

· Installation of new state of the art digital display screens throughout the airport facility

· Installation of a new industry best practice way finding signage system across the airport facility

· Upgrade and replenishment of ground handling equipment, snow clearing equipment and safety and response vehicles

· Extension to the fire station at the airport

· Enhancements to the airport retail and catering facilities

· Implementation of a major airfield drainage programme on the airports runway

· Upgrading of the runway lighting system

 

Commenting on the completion of phase one, head of operations and commercial services at Ireland West Airport, John McCarthy, said: “Having listened carefully to feedback from our passengers, we now believe we are developing passenger facilities here at the airport which are up there with the best of any regional airport across Europe.”

The local economy has benefited from this latest programme of developments with local contractors and suppliers from across the region being utilised where possible to carry out the works creating much needed jobs in the west.

 

Phase 2

Phase two of the programme has commenced in the last few weeks and will involve the completion of the following major projects over the coming 18 months:

· Opening of a new state of the art Visitor Discovery Centre in the terminal building

· Upgrading of the hold baggage screening equipment to comply with industry regulation

· Remodeling and upgrading of the departures area

· Upgrading of Air Traffic Control equipment

· Rehabilitation of the airports 2,400 metre long runway and upgrading of the instrument landing system

· Further upgrade and enhancement works to the airport car park