***NEWLY-NAMED Airport in Northern Ireland*** (George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD))

Member Name: curious_tan

Product:	George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)
Date:	05/10/06 (513 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small, clean and you feel at home

Disadvantages: Not high-tech and inconvenient during winter and rainy days

Name: "George Best" Belfast City Airport
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland; 20 minutes by bus from the city centre
Number of Flights: 3000 and 183,000 passengers a month
Year of Operation: since 1952
Website: www.belfastcityairport.com

FORMERLY known as Belfast City Airport, the airport is renamed on 22 May 2006 in tribute to the Irish legendary footballer, George Best who passed away early this year.

My first encounter with the airport was last year during my first travel to Northern Ireland from a connecting flight in Heathrow to Belfast by bmi (www.flybmi.com) carrier, one of the major clients of the airport since its operation in 1952. During that time, I was not really interested in the existing operation and management of the airport until I had my second flight early this year from Manchester by flybe (www.flybe.com) aircraft; consequently my latest trip from the US via Heathrow airport.

Through this airport, Belfast is links to the London’s airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Standsted, including worldwide connections using flybe, BA, Aer Arann, Euromanx, British Northwest Airlines, and Air Berlin air carriers. To date, Belfast city airport deals with over 2.2 million passengers every year utilizing its 6000 ft runway in a reclaimed land. It is situated in 3 miles away from the city centre with regular direct bus and train connections to reach the airport

**ACCESSIBILITY & TRANSPORT**
Being a gateway to Northern Ireland, the airport can be reached by a mass transport. A city Airlink bus service is available everyday from the city centre located in Europa bus station. There is also a shuttle bus operates between the airport terminal and the adjacent rail station to the two major stations at the city.

During my travels, I normally used a cab/taxi which costs me about 10 pounds/trip (fix fare) in going to the airport or around 7 pounds from the city centre. Aside from convenience, it is easy to book a taxi anytime of the day. Unlike bus and train services, I have to check the timetable either on-line or by phone to for departure and arrival schedules. With my present accommodation near the university where I am studying, it will be hard for me to reach the bus/train stations while carrying heavy luggage and a hand-carry bag. The disappointment is very high especially during summer and school holidays when bus service does not have a regular timetable.

For tourists and local people living near the city centre, it is more likely cheaper to travel by bus or by train. By bus, it costs 2.50 pounds for a single journey and approximately 1.10 pounds by train from the central station. Bus and train connections are recommended for people who are traveling or having a final destination outside Belfast and the Irish Republic (Dublin).

Frankly, I am a mass transport promoter and it is recommended to use it regularly to places like the airports to ease the traffic congestion. However, some people have cars which the airport can accommodate for limited short time stay (left side of the terminal building), free of charge and to its main car park at the right side of the terminal building.


**FACILITIES & AMENITIES**
The airport has two floors dedicated for various retail and office use. The terminal building has a very simple lay-out for both departure and arrival area which every passenger could easily walk around and familiar with. Upon entering the terminal, few meters away from the glass door, you could easily find the ticket desk and check-in counters. And besides these counters (just few steps) you will be facing the newsagents/gift shop and a coffee shop. Information desk and money exchangers are located at the centre of the ground floor, just besides the escalator going to the first floor. The arrival and baggage area can be found just few steps away from the information desk (fronting the car hire desk); and at the far end of the terminal is the toilet and baby changing rooms which could be used by arriving and departing passengers. At the first floor, you can find the business lounges, a restaurant and bar, toilet, children’s’ playground and conference facilities. The toilets are well maintained (tissue and hand liquid soap) with various advertising metal frames on the wall. For tourists and first time traveller to Northern Ireland, it is worth visiting the information desk and grabs some information leaflets such as Citylife’s airport magazine, Whatabout’s Belfast city guide, and other regional promotional materials.

The airport has recently installed new self-service check in kiosk to further enhance the check-in process particularly for flybe passengers and for the efficiency of other’s airport services. In addition, the conference suite located in the first floor of the terminal building offers a venue for business seminar or informal one-to-one meetings which is quite convenient for delegates or participants without traveling any further. The suite has audio and visual equipment, rooms can accommodate up to 40 people and with full catering and secretarial services.

**SAFETY PROCEDURE**
As a standard procedure, personal identification card or passport (in my case) is required in the check-in counter, including your valid ticket. Even though it is a domestic airport, the safety procedures are also implemented including weight and size of check-in luggage. You can proceed to the departure lounges upon check-in where you also find gift shops/newsagents, sandwich bar, duty-free shop (perfume shop only), coffee shop and toilets. If you have wireless internet account, the lounge has designated area where you could set-up your laptop/notebook power connection. In general the waiting lounge has two major exit doors to the hallway leading to the tarmac. The glass wall of the lounge and the hallway are soundproofed facing the runaway where incoming/outgoing planes can be seen.

It is an interesting experience in this airport while boarding the aircraft that the passengers have to get out from the terminal building and walk a few meters away toward the aircraft. Having this, you have a full view of the runaway and the aircraft itself. Interestingly, I was able to take few photographs while the passengers are queuing to the main door of the plane. The same thing happens during arrivals where everyone has to step-out from the plane and proceed to the entrance of the terminal building towards the arrival and baggage area. This procedure somewhat reminds me of the departure and arrival in the early 50s when old airports do not have the facilities to attached itself to the body of the plane like we have now in all international airports. The only problem with this is during winter or rainy days when everyone has to cover themselves from cold and rain.

**LUGGAGE CLAIM & IMMIGRATION**
During my last trip, unknowingly my luggage was not loaded in my flight. It was delayed for two days. While in the arrival areas, I patiently waited for my big bag to come from the moving carousel. Then suddenly I heard my name from the centralized paging system of the airport and advised to proceed to the help desk counter. The receptionist informed me that my bag was not properly tagged and it was already reported to them that it will be transported later that day. She asked me some basic questions about my bag (colour, size, etc.) using a reference leaflet for easy description. The documentation did not take too long and I was able to leave the arrival area immediately and rushing to meet my friend waiting outside the terminal building. My bag was delivered by a special courier service in good condition even though I forgot to lock it.

It is also worth mentioning that there is an immigration officer who approach passengers randomly and check for necessary visa and travel documents, including bag inspection. It happened to me during my first arrival to Belfast last year. Is it because of my skin colour and moustache? So, I decided to remove my moustache since last December and have a clean shave chin every time I travel to have a better impression.

**BUSINESS REPUTATION**
The airport received an award from the O2 Ability Awards 2005. Being the winner in the category of ‘Retention and Well Being’, airport is recognized for its best practice in retention and well being focused on disability management and workable health promotion. This annual award from O2 (telecommunication provider) recognizes the contribution that people with disabilities make to business, and commend businesses striving to change in the culture of employment especially with disabilities in Ireland.

IN CONCLUSION, George Best Belfast city airport is not grand and high-tech facility compare to Heathrow and Manchester airports or even Boston Logan and Chicago O’hare airports, but the facility offers the basic amenities and services for the safety and convenience of the passengers, including disabled. The departure lounges have enough spaces where passengers could relax and shop while waiting for their flights. The airport also provides relevant materials for tourists to browse for future destinations and forthcoming exciting events in Northern Ireland. By the way, the newsagent shop has good collection of top seller books with reasonable prices, something to browse if you forgot to bring one.

Come and visit Northern Ireland!

Summary: The gateway to Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland