O’Neill and Little-Pengelly officially open upgraded Belfast airport terminal

Northern Ireland’s First Minister and deputy First Minister have officially opened an upgraded terminal at Belfast International Airport.

The airport is undergoing a £100 million five-year investment programme with a new terminal extension which includes a state-of-the-art security hall, a new duty free experience and enhancements to the arrivals experience.

Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly took a tour of the facility on Tuesday, along with Pierre Anjolras, chief executive of Vinci, and Nicolas Notebaert, chief executive of Concessions at Vinci and president of Vinci Airports.

The first £25 million investment phase, which is now complete, features a 1,600 square metre duty free store which combines duty free, food and beverages and travel essentials all under one roof.

Meanwhile, the new security hall features state-of-the-art next generation security equipment, meaning passengers no longer have to move liquids or electronics from hand luggage.

Externally a new forecourt area has been created, with the building design taking inspiration from the design of the original terminal completed in 1963.

The most notable feature of this building was the angular roof construction and this is still prevalent today, both externally and internally.

Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the new terminal extension.

Ms O’Neill described an “impressive transformation” and hailed the airport’s “commitment to improving its facilities and operational efficiency in order to enhance passenger experience”.

“Improving our air connectivity with Europe and the rest of the world is key for growing business and tourism,” she said.

“This first part of the £100 million investment plays a key role in our goal of delivering wider economic growth and creating jobs. I look forward to seeing the next phases of the programme come to fruition in the years ahead.”

Ms Little-Pengelly added: “Belfast International Airport is very much part of the fabric of Northern Ireland and a key gateway for domestic and international travel.

“It plays a pivotal role in connectivity, tourism and economic growth and the opening of this new, modern terminal extension will bring a range of benefits.

“I want to commend the airport’s management and its owners for their commitment to making such a significant investment in transforming and modernising the facility.

“I have no doubt that this airport will continue to grow as a regional asset and as a symbol of our global aspirations, and I wish everyone well for the next phases of this project.”

Belfast International Airport’s chief executive Dan Owens hailed “significant progress”.

“When we started this process around two years ago we were focused on our goal to transform the passenger experience at Belfast International Airport,” he said.

“Today we can say we have made significant progress in achieving that goal.

“We provide employment for over 4,000 people, connecting almost seven million passengers across our airline network.

“As the economic driver for this region in terms of economic development and tourism growth we are committed to further enhancing the passenger experience while also working with our airline partners to develop our network of routes.”