Gatwick bosses are celebrating the first full year of operation of a £110 million extension at a terminal building.

Former Transport Secretary Alistair Darling opened Pier 6 - a 646ft glass walkway spanning a runway with enough space for a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet to pass underneath - in May 2005, About 3.4 million passengers have passed through the walkway since it opened and 33,000 aircraft have arrived or departed from its stands.

Paul Griffiths, the airport's managing director, said: "We have seen strong growth at Gatwick in the last year.

"Pier 6 is an integral part of this growth and represents our commitment to investing a planned £850 million during the next ten years on facilities and improvements to provide great customer service."

Thursday, May 18, 2006