Airport team scores for the Champions

AFTER what was one of the biggest events ever held in Wales, Cardiff Airport is reflecting on an incredibly busy and successful Champions League Final weekend.

The excitement began on Friday, June 2, with the arrival of Juventus and Real Madrid in Wales – including sporting legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Welsh football hero Gareth Bale.

The next two days saw a 300% uplift in air traffic activity in the skies of south Wales, with 380 extra flight movements operated by charter airlines including Alitalia and on scheduled airlines Vueling and Ryanair, while KLM increased the size of their aircraft to manage demand.

Juventus fans were welcomed to Wales through a specially built facility known as Terminal 2, with flights jetting in from the early hours of Saturday morning until just a couple of hours before kickoff. Real Madrid fans also flew into Cardiff on scheduled services operated by Vueling and Iberia Express, as did a number of VIPs on private aircraft.

Cardiff Airport CEO Deb Barber said: “Having had a few days to reflect, it’s amazing to think what we as a city have achieved. As Wales’ national airport, we welcomed 21,000 travelling fans in a very short amount of time, not to mention the teams themselves and a number of VIPs.

“The Champions League final has demonstrated just what we can deliver as the national airport of Wales, and we as a team look forward to future opportunities and an exciting year ahead.”