BRS has been handling around 6 million passengers each year for around ten years now rog, so the success is not that recent.
Most people agree that the airport is in the wrong place - it's not the only one by a long chalk - but that's down to previous generations and there isn't much that can be done about that. More is the pity.
Given the Bristol city region's economic strength and the huge number of well-off, mainly older people in its catchment, plus its reasonable proximity to other catchments such as the further South West, South Wales and the western end of the Thames Valley, a postage stamp-size airport site is always going to present a challenge in accommodating all those people who want to travel.
The western extension to the terminal part-opened a few weeks ago - hot on the heels of last year's eastern extension and central pier the year before that - and is supposedly improving matters in the security queues. As with everywhere else, overseas arrivals are at the mercy of Border Force staffing levels although even here the next stage of development is reportedly a bigger immigration area: but that won't necessarily mean more Border Agency staff, just a less disagreeable area in which to have to wait.
I've been using this airport for about 40 years, and have seen its progress, good and bad, throughout that time. On balance, I can put up with a bit of overcrowding as a trade-off for the many flights and destinations now available, often at a decent price and certainly so compared with when I first used the place. In a way the airport is a microcosm of Bristol itself; heavily congested roads and seriously over-crowded local area trains during the peak periods.
I agree about the car parks. They are over priced and not worthy of the name, but the airport is a highly profitable venture for its owners and if people are continuing to use it in ever increasing numbers there is little imperative to spend money on peripheral matters, although a multi-storey car park is due to be built soon.
I shall be passing through again quite soon and will be looking out for the crumbling part of the terminal if fanrailuk would give me a pointer where to look.
And many thanks caaardiff for your rundown on the stands situation.