Belfast International Airport Gets Royal Boost

Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip have flown home to London from Belfast's newly expanded and redeveloped International Airport this afternoon.

But the royal couple didn't leave before carrying out the official launch of a £10m development project that has given the airport a major facelift and updated and improved facilities throughout the terminal.

Her Majesty (pictured here by Brian McCalden) was on day two of a high profile royal visit to Northern Ireland which earlier saw The Queen adding fizz to a recently opened soft drinks plant in Co Antrim, the £93m Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland manufacturing plant.

She arrived in Aldergrove around noon to see how Belfast International Airport's privately funded project has changed the face of Departures for passengers.

The initial phase involved the relocation of central security search to the departures concourse, a move designed to speed up passengers' journeys through the airport.

The second phase was the new link which is a glass-fronted building, the height of two double-decker buses, and big enough to host a five-a-side football match.

This building at the front of the terminal accommodates lifts, stairs and escalators to reach the departures concourse.

This was followed by a reconfiguration of the duty free area, creating space for over 20 retail, food and beverage outlets.

The development was completed this summer and brought to over £35m the total amount invested in the airport in the last five years as part of an ongoing commitment to transform the look and feel of the airport and enhance customer experience.

As she officially opened the facility, The Queen was told the improved terminal building transformed Belfast International Airport and created modern, spacious and service-focused facilities designed to make the airport easy and convenient to use.

(BMcC/GK)