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Birmingham Airport CEO Paul Kehoe, Prime Minister David Cameron, Nicky Morgan Economic Secretary
to the Treasury and Caroline Spelman MP for Meriden inspecting Birmingham Airport’s runway extension
- background shows engineering apprentices fitting the final lights on the runway extension
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Prime Minister David Cameron has visited Birmingham Airport which is just weeks away
from the opening of its 400 metre runway extension, a development that is expected to
create 8,000 jobs in the Midlands by 2020 as the airport expands to cope with increased
demand for air travel from around the globe
David Cameron said during the visit: "The announcement of 8,000 jobs from Birmingham
Airport is more great news in a week where we are cutting tax for 26 million hard-working
people and taking over 3 million people out of income tax altogether. These are two
significant announcements which will help give people financial security for the future"
The Prime Minister welcomed the news after witnessing the final lights being fitted on
the runway extension by engineering apprentices, who have gained full-time employment
as a direct result of the infrastructure project
As a sign of confidence in the expanded airport, last month saw an announcement that
As a sign of confidence in the expanded airport, last month saw an announcement that
flights between Beijing and Birmingham, operated by China Southern Airlines, will begin
this summer. They will be the first direct charter flights from China to Britain and the
first ever direct flights from China to a British airport outside of London
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| The site of the runway extension, new parallel taxiway - in the foreground - with the new ATC Tower and hangar for Monarch Aircraft Engineering in the background |
Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s CEO, added: "Receiving this endorsement from the
Prime Minister as our runway extension nears completion is fantastic for everyone
involved in the project. Birmingham is recognised as an airport that is delivering
real growth and supporting thousands of new jobs
"The main driver for this growth is the runway extension. By 2020, based on today’s
"The main driver for this growth is the runway extension. By 2020, based on today’s
demand, Birmingham Airport is forecast to handle 15 million passengers a year, an
increase of six million. This passenger growth will generate an additional 4,000 jobs
on-site and a further 4,000 in the immediate supply chain"
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David Cameron talks to John Morris, Public Affairs Director of Birmingham Airport, Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive
of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and John Hudson OBE, Chairman of Birmingham Airport |
During the visit, Mr Cameron also met with local business leaders from across the
region, who welcome greater connectivity from their local airport. The longer runway
will allow aircraft to fly to destinations further away and support more direct long-haul
flights to emerging economies currently out of reach, such as Brazil and China
The runway expansion is just one part of a long-term investment programme, worth
The runway expansion is just one part of a long-term investment programme, worth
over £300 million at Birmingham Airport. The earlier stages have already delivered a
new combined passenger terminal, a new maintenance hangar for Monarch Aircraft
Engineering and a new state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control tower
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| Thursday 3 April 2014 |