The airport is consulting on its 2040 masterplan, which includes an aim to attract a "limited number" of new direct longer-haul connections to the US east coast and the Middle East.
Prior to the 2008 financial crash, Continental Airlines – now part of United – served New York Newark from Bristol, while Tui has previously operated long-haul charters there. Continental stopped flying to and from Bristol in late-2010.
However, Bristol hasn’t had any permanent long-haul connections for more than 15 years now. Qatar Airways could be a target; the Gulf carrier previously operated to nearby Cardiff, but has not returned to the South Wales airport since it suspended flying there during the pandemic.
Around 10 million people currently pass through Bristol a year, with the airport currently capped at 12 million passengers. It hopes to expand to serve up to 15 million a year by 2036.
The increase would see aircraft movements go up from 86,000 to around 100,000 a year, an increase of 35 a day on busy days during peak periods. The airport would also seek permission for another 1,000 night flights, which would equate to four per night on average on busy nights during peak periods.
Proposals include a larger terminal building with a great number of direct aircraft walkways to reduce the need to bus passengers to their aircraft, new taxiways and additional aircraft stands, and a slight runway extension to accommodate longer-range aircraft.
In addition, Bristol is proposing better road and public transport connections, including an indicative location for a "mass transit interchange", more car parking provision, and new supporting facilities including an extra hotel.
Bristol said the airport was currently supporting more than 5,000 local and contributing £2 billion to the local economy; it says its plans would support more than 37,000 jobs in the South West and South Wales, including an additional 1,000 airport jobs.
The consultation will from Monday 25 November 2024 to Friday 31 January 2025.
Dave Lees, Bristol airport chief executive, said the masterplan looked to capitalise on "resurgent" demand for air travel from people in Bristol’s catchment.
He said £400 million was currently being invested in improving customer experience and reducing the airport’s carbon impact. Efforts include a new £64 million public transport interchange and work to introduce heat pumps across the site.
However, he acknowledged there would be concerns about increased emissions resulting from expansion and "implications for climate change". "We’re bringing forward proposals for what we consider to be responsible growth, growth that is both within the current UK carbon budgets required to meet net zero for all emissions by 2050, and with measures to achieve net zero airport operations by 2030.
"Meanwhile, we are also committed to working with partners in our region on aviation decarbonisation," he added.
