Oxford Airport commences work on new private aviation terminal
25.1.2008 (Asia Travel Tips)
Oxford Airport has started work on a brand new, first class business aviation
terminal to cater for private jet crew and passengers. Scheduled for completion
in June this year, the new facility will triple the space of the existing general
aviation terminal.
It is the first step toward Oxford Airport offering a fully fledged executive
handling operation.
The new terminal represents the first phase of a major investment by Oxford Airport’s
new owners, the Reuben Brothers, who purchased it last summer from BBA Aviation.
Business at the airport has doubled over the past 3 years.
Currently, Oxford Airport averages about 10 business jet movements a day.
Oxford Airport Managing Director Steve Jones said: "Business aviation is the
most buoyant sector in the market right now. We are extremely well placed to build
on the activity we are currently generating. We have a lower cost base, compared
with the London airports which cater for business aviation, are less than an hour’s
drive from the west end of London and importantly, we have slot availability to
offer an extremely appealing alternative."
Complementing its FBO plans, Oxford Airport this month completed the construction
of a new large aircraft apron. The new 3,500m ², high bearing strength apron is
suitable for larger business aircraft up to the size and weight of the Boeing
Business Jet and Airbus A318 Elite.
"With our new wider and stronger runway completed last summer, Oxford Airport
is able to accommodate heavier business jets such as the Global Express and Gulfstream
V (550), together with regional aircraft such as the BAe 146 family and the Bombardier
Q400," said Steve Jones.
From this month, Oxford Airport’s opening hours as a fully licensed airfield
have increased from 0630hrs to 2230 hrs. Weekend access is also increased with
an additional 2 hours’ cover each day. Earlier departures to compensate for
the hour’s time difference with continental Europe and the ability to take long
range overnight flights to Russia and beyond will now be better catered for.
“This improvement in opening times gives Oxford Airport a notable advantage over
other business airports such as Farnborough, London City, Biggin Hill and Northolt,
with the potential to accept traffic from 0600hrs to midnight through progressive
improvements to the opening hours over the next two years.”
Oxford Airport has the capacity to handle up to 160,000 movements a year.
In 2007, it accepted a total of 50,000, (36% of them flying school traffic from
Oxford Air Training).
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news08/251-OxfordAirport.shtml