The Easter bank holiday weekend will be the busiest weekend of the year so far for Newcastle International Airport.
More than 36,000 passengers will be travelling through the airport over the holiday weekend, with approximately 500 flights scheduled to arrive and depart during the four day period. Easter Monday is expected to be the airport’s busiest day, with around 12,000 passengers planning to catch a flight into or out of the region.
The most popular destinations for North East travellers this Easter will be the Spanish sunshine hotspots of Alicante, Tenerife, Malaga and Palma. But the appetite for short European city breaks at this time of year is still strong, with Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona topping the list of most popular weekend break destinations.
Flights to other UK destinations are also proving popular, including Plymouth, Exeter and Newquay. And flights with British Airways to London Heathrow will be operating close to full capacity over the Easter break. In addition, a fully-booked charter flight from Newcastle to Lourdes will depart on Easter Sunday.
Dave Laws, chief executive of Newcastle International Airport, said, “We’re looking forward to welcoming large numbers of holidaymakers to the airport over the Easter holiday. It seems that North East passengers are as determined as ever to take a well-earned break at this time of year.
“There are some great last minute deals to be had too. Emirates have got huge discounts on their daily flights to Dubai and beyond, and other airlines and tour operators have some excellent low prices on flights and holidays to a wide range of destinations across the UK, Europe and further afield.”
The airport has issued the following advice to passengers flying over the Easter weekend:
· Arrive at the airport in good time for your flight, at least two hours before departure for scheduled flights and three hours for charter holiday flights.
· Take heed of the regulations prohibiting liquids of over 100ml being carried through airport security in hand luggage. Passengers can check the rules at www.newcastleairport.com/BeforeDeparture/
· Check your baggage allowances with your airline or tour operator before setting off. Weight allowances for hold luggage vary from airline to airline and some operators only allow one item of hand luggage in the cabin.