Cardiff Airport

Cardiff Airport represents the busiest airport in Wales. The facility has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since 2013, operating at an arm’s length as a commercial business. Travelers’ numbers were 1.581 million in 2018 and are growing year-on-year. Cardiff Airport is situated near the village of Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Cardiff Airport

Cardiff Airport represents the busiest airport in Wales. The facility has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since 2013, operating at an arm’s length as a commercial business. Travelers’ numbers were 1.581 million in 2018 and are growing year-on-year. Cardiff Airport is situated near the village of Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Infrastructure

In 2006, a £100 million development strategy was declared to extend the terminal and upgrade the main part of the building. It was expected that the investment would attract up to five million passengers by 2015 – a raise of 150% – due to the airport’s published response to the United Kingdom Government White paper on the future of air transport throughout the U.K.

At the approximate price of around £3m, half funded by the Welsh Government, extensive refurbishment is expected to begin with the redevelopment of the front of the terminal and approach areas. The construction works include an extension to the front of the terminal linking the departures and arrivals halls into one ample space, offering new food and retail services. As part of the operation, the first floor of the terminal will become ‘airside’ as the security checkpoint to access the departures lounge is moved to the first floor, above the existing arrivals hall, and obtained through the new extension. The approach area available in front of the terminal building will also be landscaped and redesigned.

In 2017, works costing £4 million were announced to upgrade the terminal by expanding the departures area with increased seating and retail space and expand the executive lounge. Outside the terminal building, a new meet and greet parking facility, as well as a new car hire terminal, would be built. Work started in October 2017.

In March 2020, the airport asked for another loan of £6.8m loan-on top of £21m it received last year.

Operations

CWL is the only airport in Wales that provides international scheduled flights and is also served by scheduled, low-fare, charter and business carriers. It also supports general and corporate aviation. In 2007, the facility announced that it would host the first Public Service Obligation (PSO) service to be operated in Wales. This Welsh Government-subsidised service is currently run by Flybe using its franchise partner Eastern Airways with operating daily flights to the Isle of Anglesey.

Most international destinations from the airport are to other countries in Europe, including Greece, Spain, and Germany. Qatar Airways announced in 2017 that it would begin service to Doha in May 2018, using the Boeing 787 aircraft.