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Cup fills airport

03 May 2006

Cardiff International Airport's aircraft handling facilities have reached full capacity for the day of the Heineken Cup final, 20 May.

The airport expects an extra 24 passenger airliners and 17 business jets to shuttle between Cardiff and Ireland and France. These will use all available take-off and landing slots with every available aircraft parking space also taken up during the match itself.

This means the airport terminal will handle 8,000 extra passengers as well as its normal throughput of business and leisure travellers on the day.

Special coach routes have been agreed with Cardiff Council and South Wales Police to separate the airport's Cup visitors from normal weekend traffic.

Cardiff International Airport managing director Jon Horne said today: "Requests from airlines were handled on a strict 'first come, first served' basis. We have now reached the level of capacity we targeted as being the optimum for safety and passenger comfort.

"Our airport team has worked closely with the tournament organisers and the Millennium Stadium in preparing for the event. Procedures we have developed through this and our experience in managing other events have been communicated to the tour operators and carriers involved."

He added: "Everyone at the airport is now gearing up to offer a warm and efficient welcome."

This year's previous peak day saw 7,000 extra passengers handled from France on chartered aircraft for their Six Nations clash with Wales. Cardiff International is currently investing £7 million in improvements which will produce even more capacity for next year.

From the finalists' countries on a normal day, the airport welcomes Cardiff - Cork and Cardiff - Dublin services, both by Aer Arann. There is no regular Biarritz flight to Cardiff but French travellers use scheduled services from Lorient to Cardiff, again by Aer Arann, or KLM's Amsterdam connecting service.

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