Bristol Airport reopens for commercial flights following coronavirus lockdown easing

Bristol Airport has reopened to commercial passengers but at only 10% of its usual capacity.

Only 10 flights each arriving and departing marked the return to operations on Wednesday 1 July, with 2,000 passengers using the main terminal as opposed to 27,000 on a normal July day.

The airport has continued to operate throughout the coronavirus outbreak but only for essential flights of vital cargo and key workers.

Passengers' temperatures are checked on arrival in a walk-through tent and face masks are compulsory throughout.

Barriers direct the public away from the main entrance, with a side door used to funnel passengers towards check-in and the usual security gates.

Those arriving into Bristol told ITV News West Country the systems were working well and passengers respected the restrictions.

• Watch the process passengers will now have to go through

Face masks were kept on throughout the flights, no food or drink was served, and use of the toilet was carefully managed.

People greeting arrivals must now do so outside the terminal.

It is expected the restrictions will remain for months to come with airport bosses saying it will be years before the business recovers from the effects of lockdown.

The Chief Executive of Bristol Airport, David Lees, said, "We're looking at a period of recovery that will be ongoing throughout 2021 and into 2022.

"Our core focus is to retain as many jobs as we possibly can and the way to do that is to look at the size of the business and acting in a flexible way with our employees as well."