Birmingham airport expansion set to bring 8,000 jobs
Massive expansion at Birmingham Airport in the wake of opening its new runway extension is set to create 8,000 jobs in the region over the next six years, Prime Minister David Cameron revealed today.
He was at the airport on a flying visit to announce a total of 10,000 new jobs in Britain as he continues his four-day tour of businesses across the country.
Birmingham Airport accounts for the bulk of the posts, with 4,000 jobs on site and the same number again in the supply chain, as a result of a revamp that includes a £40 million extended runway due to be operational next month.
The extra length will mean aircraft will be able to carry more fuel on take-off, giving them the distance to reach the Far East and the West Coast of America.
A new direct service to China is already set to launch in the summer, taking tourists and business travellers between the West Midlands and Beijing. The move is expected to add another 1 million passengers over the next 18 months, taking Birmingham past the 10 million-a-year mark.
There are already 6,000 people working at the airport, from control staff and airline crews to maintenance engineers and baggage handlers, and bosses expect that to rise by another 1,000 this year.
For every 1 million new passengers the airport expect s to create 650 new jobs – increasing the airport's workforce by 4,000 by 2020, with another 4,000 jobs created in its supply chain in the region.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has also revealed that communications giant Vodafone is taking on an extra 1,400 staff while Accenture, a global management consulting firm, is hiring 500 more staff.
The announcements will provide a boost to Mr Cameron as he attempts to explain the measures unveiled in last month's Budget during his 'economy-focused' tour that started yesterday at a branch of John Lewis in Greater Manchester.
Mr Cameron will hold a PM Direct – a question and answer format with small audiences – with workers he meets today to press home the changes to corporate and personal finance he has pushed through.
The PM will insist that business tax reforms that are coming into force will help firms hire more people and claim that the jobs announcements are further proof that the coalition's economic plan is working.
He will also be keen to highlight changes to the income tax personal allowance threshold, which is being raised from £9,440 to £10,000, and reforms to the Employment Allowance that the Government says will give 1.25 million businesses and charities up to £2,000 off their National Insurance Contributions.
