Revealed: Edinburgh Airport check-in area to expand, as £5.8m upgrade to give passengers more space

The £5.8 million upgrade to be completed over the winter will involves zone A, which is used by Ryanair, the airport’s largest carrier.

The work, which started on Tuesday and is due to be completed by the spring, includes a “full redesign” of the zone’s layout to improve passenger flow, along with new self-service machines.

Zone D, used mainly by Jet2, will also be remodelled, with a baggage belt added for passengers to drop-off luggage after checking it in.

Edinburgh Airport chief operating officer Adam Wilson said: “Raising the standards for our passengers is something we’re always striving to do, and this significant investment in our check-in hall will deliver a major improvement.

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“It’s important we listen to our passengers and deliver the changes they want to see. Creating more space in check-in is something we have seen come up when asking for feedback.

“There will be some temporary changes throughout the hall while work is being carried out, so we’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience.”

The project follows French airports giant VINCI acquiring a £1.27 billion majority stake in Scotland’s busiest airport in June.

The airport said VINCI “seeks to apply its cutting-edge expertise to unleash the growth potential of the assets entrusted to it, while creating innovative and varied services that enhance the passenger experience”.

Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said when the acquisition was announced, the firm’s expertise as one of the world’s largest airport groups would help “enhance and improve” - as well as accelerate - its development plans.

Michael McGhee, founder partner of Global Infrastructure Partners, which bought Edinburgh Airport in 2012 and retains a 49.99 per cent stake, said: “What people don’t like is queues, which is why under our ownership we have really focused on cutting the queues.

“The next thing is expansion. That’s what we have already been working on, so that’s the big priority. We want people to have a pleasant experience.”

The airport is expecting to handle a record 15 million passengers this year, flying with 35 airlines to 155 destinations.

Edinburgh is one of Ryanair’s biggest bases - among the top 20 of its 90 across Europe - with some 330 staff and nearly 70 routes.

Ryanair started operating from Edinburgh in 2001 with flights to Dublin and opened the base seven years later, which led to its Scottish growth moving from its past focus on Prestwick.

The Irish airline based an 11th aircraft at Edinburgh last year, having eclipsed easyJet as the airport’s largest carrier in 2022.

Ryanair marketing director Dara Brady told The Scotsman last year: "We have a long-term deal with Edinburgh as long as the airport remains competitive.

“Edinburgh is fortunate in having a very strong inbound market – it’s always been a hugely popular city break – while Scots have a strong appetite for travel. It’s not as easy elsewhere.”