From 2 April, all departing passengers at Norwich International will pay a ”3 ($5.80) fee, which will go towards an ”18m ($34.7m) investment programme at the airport.
The five-year project involves enhancements in almost all areas of the airport, including improved check-in and retail facilities, better parking, additional apron space and aircraft parking stands, new taxiways and new equipment for passenger and aircraft handling.
Although a rare move for a UK airport, the company is confident its passengers will be happy to pay: ”The local community appreciates having a world class facility on its doorstep,” an airport spokesman told ABTN. ”Without it people would have to travel a lot further to Stansted, Gatwick or Heathrow, which would cost a great deal more than the ”3 fee.”
”Our customers are willing to pay for improved facilities, which in turn will attract more airlines and a greater choice of destinations. Omniport, which has already invested ”10m ($19.3m) since acquiring the airport in 2004, can improve Norwich International in ways that the local authority never could.”
Norwich International managing director, Richard Jenner (pictured), said: ”This charge allows us to make a step change at Norwich in the provision of facilities for both airlines and passengers. Without this small charge made to every passenger, it simply would not be possible for us to put this level of investment into the airport.
”In 2004 around 450,000 people flew from Norwich and we are forecasting that number to increase to nearly 800,000 this year and to continue growing. Those extra passengers require more space and better facilities and that inevitably means more aircraft will be using the airport ” we need investment to keep pace with this growth.”
Special ticket machines will be installed at the airport, where passengers can pay by cash or debit/credit card before their flight. Children under the age of 16 will be charged ”1 ($1.90), and infants under two go free.