BOSSES at Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport are gearing up for the festive rush which will see an anticipated 20,000 passengers pass through the borough.
With temperatures starting to plummet with the onset of winter, airport chiefs are predicting thousands of folk will jet off for a bit of winter sun.
The big rush is expected to get underway next week when schools break up for the festive holidays. Between December and January 2 it is expecting 20,000 passengers.
Steve Gill, airport director, said: “The choice of affordable flights to a number of destinations from Doncaster Sheffield Airport, means that we expect the Christmas and New Year period to once again be one of the busiest during the year and we are anticipating over 40,000 passengers to use the airport throughout December.”
The airport has this year been marketing its festive overseas flights to three markets, with winter sun Mediterranean resorts being operated by Thomson, skiing holidays in Italy with holidays firm Crystal, and city breaks with Wizz Air to Gdansk, Katowice, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw in Poland and Vilnius in Lithuania.
With an increase in passengers expected at the Finningley terminal the airport is also reminding people about its security restrictions.
Passengers are asked to think about what items they are intending to pack in hand luggage - especially those who are travelling with presents for friends and relatives.
All items in hand luggage including wrapped Christmas presents are subject to search as part of the current aviation security measures that are in place at all UK airports.
To avoid disappointment at the security search point and to help keep queues to a minimum, passengers are being asked to travel with their presents unwrapped if they are to be carried in hand luggage. Restrictions on carrying liquids through security are also still in place.
Mr Gill added: “To keep queuing times to a minimum we’re asking passengers to come prepared and to think about what they are carrying in their hand luggage.
“We want all our passengers to enjoy the start of their journey particularly at this time of year and with a bit of forward planning we hope passengers will get their Christmas holidays off to a great start.”