Belfast International upgrades flight system

A new flight management system has been installed at Belfast International Airport that is expected to bring benefits for passengers, airlines and other airport users.

The new setup, provided by ICS Computing, is expected to offer 'major time and cost savings' and 'place the airport ahead of its competitors in terms of operating efficiencies'.

Public display boards and web pages take information from the flight management system every minute, meaning that it must be entirely accurate at all times.

With five million passengers set to use Belfast International Airport this year, the new system must be 100 per cent reliable, said technical services manager Denis Brown.

"It's an essential communication tool which allows all airport staff - air traffic control, apron control, airport police and customs - to access real time information on each flight and coordinate a timely response," he added.

"So far we are absolutely delighted with the new system and expect its improved processing speed will save us one to two days per week on administration time - which in itself is really quite remarkable."

It was recently revealed that the Continental Airlines flight linking Belfast International to New York is proving popular with people accessing connecting flights in the USA, with Orlando, Las Vegas and Miami among the top onward destinations.

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