Amazing May gives EMA a pre-summer boost

TheYard

Well over half of the 763,000 people who have flown through EMA so far this financial year did so last month, with the spring break helping to boost numbers by 57,000 on last year.

Close to 10,000 people travelled through the airport on one day alone, with Friday 24 May becoming the busiest day so far at EMA this year. Even that day - and throughout the month - customers enjoyed the effortless experience that EMA is renowned for, as the airport’s security staff once again cleared 100% of customers through security checks within 15 minutes.

This gives holidaymakers more time to enjoy some of the new features in the departure lounge, with initial improvements as part of a five-year investment programme completed in time for the big summer getaway. These include:

·       A completely refurbished Castle Rock Bar & Kitchen, one of the most popular places people head for to enjoy food and drink while waiting for their flights. More tables and seating, a table service option and extra tills at the extended bar ensure it is a relaxing and enjoyable experience

·       A brand new smaller Castle Rock bar called The Yard offering a wide range of food and drink options and more places for customers to sit

·       A bigger and better JD Sports outlet for those last-minute holiday purchases of sliders, baseball caps and other leisure wear

·       New stylish, modern seating in an area close to all the shops, providing additional seating and charging points for personal devices

·       Fully refurbished and modernised toilets, baby changing facilities and Changing Place toilets.

Other improvements elsewhere across the airport so far include new main doors in the check-in and arrivals halls, a fleet of new trolleys, improved customer wi-fi throughout the terminal and refurbishment of the runway and taxiways. Work has started on preparing the security hall for new scanning equipment which will be ready next year – but in the meantime customers are advised that security arrangements are the same as usual.

Popular beach holiday destinations within reach of EMA include Palma, Lanzarote, Alicante, Faro, Malaga, Corfu, Ibiza, Gran Canaria and Tenerife, with plenty of city break options also available including Rome, Paris and Barcelona. Ryanair, JET2.com and TUI are the main operators based at EMA serving top destinations across Europe and north Africa, along with Aer Lingus Regional, Eastern Airways, Aurigny and Blue Islands which offer a selection of other routes including some closer to home, such as the Channel Islands and Ireland.

Naples is a new destination this year with TUI, while also for the first time, EMA customers can easily reach 180 major destinations right across the globe with a new connection to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with Eastern Airways. Customers can directly book a point-to-point journey, from EMA to any of Air France’s worldwide destinations via CDG, at www.airfrance.co.uk. The new CDG route also offers a great way to get to the Summer Olympics held in Paris this year.

EMA’s Customer and Planning Director Mike Grimes said: “May often gives us a good indication of how our summer is shaping up, so these figures mean we’re expecting a strong performance in the months ahead. We look forward to welcoming our customers heading for their summer holidays in Europe and beyond – as always we will aim to make it as effortless and enjoyable as possible.”