Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has officially opened Gatwick’s new £73 million North Terminal extension.
Speaking at the event, he said the investment being made would help Britain “extend its reach far round the world and far into the future”.
The upgrade has seen the terminal building extended by 1.25 hectares, with 18 more check-in desks being installed, including self-service kiosks and new baggage reclaim facilities.
It forms part of a wider £475 million investment in the whole of the North Terminal to help support an increase in passengers each year, from 16 million currently to a targeted 20 million by 2020.
New features include a multi-storey car park providing 1,177 short-stay parking spaces, improvement to the inter-terminal monorail, a new interchange facility at the North Terminal and improvements to the security area.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s CEO, said this is just another step towards making Gatwick “London’s airport of choice.”
The airport is committed to improving the passenger experience, he said, through delivering an improved service and investing in new facilities.