Christmas Reunions and Festive Atmosphere at Northern Ireland Airports

The managing director of City of Derry Airport, Steve Frazer, stated that the current period is the most enjoyable time of the year to be employed at an airport. He is preparing for a busy weekend as individuals return home for the Christmas holiday. Northern Ireland’s airports are anticipating thousands of passengers to transit through their facilities this weekend, as individuals journey home for Christmas. Frazer informed BBC News NI, “We see everything from Santas to Grinches and family pets brought to the airport to welcome people home for Christmas.” He added, “Hugs and kisses everywhere – it is really lovely to see.” Deirdre Mahon brought her family’s pet dog, Skye, to the airport to await her son’s arrival. She stated, “I’m so excited to see him as he’s here for Christmas and will be staying until the 30th.” Mahon further added, “And my daughter Eimear is back from Brighton on Monday so it’ll be a lovely family Christmas.” She also shared, “It’s been a tough year as I lost my husband Mark in April. It’s an emotional time for all of us but we are determined to have a great Christmas because that’s what Mark would have wanted.” Kate McConnell and her boyfriend had traveled from Austin, Texas. After their 15-hour journey, she reported receiving the “warmest welcome” at the airport. She stated, “I only get to see Aoife, my dear cousin, every two years or so, it was a warm welcome and it brings me to tears every time we come back together.” This marks her boyfriend’s initial visit to the city. Zhenhua Pavetti acknowledged that he might find the Derry accent challenging but expressed anticipation for watching Derry Girls during his stay. He commented, “I am in a completely different world right now, but I am excited.” Sinead Kelly and her husband Malachy arrived from Dubai, accompanied by their 11-week-old baby. Their grandparents, Jack and Bernadette Scott, rushed to greet them upon their entry into the arrivals area. Sinead stated, “We are glad to be in our home city and we have no more travelling to do, and we have our taxi drivers here to take us home.” A pianist performed Christmas songs as passengers reached the airport on their journey home. Among those arriving from various regions of the UK were workers and students, intending to spend Christmas with family members residing on both sides of the border. Several individuals arriving this morning had just concluded the final segment of extensive journeys originating from various global locations. A choir maintained the festive atmosphere as passengers, carrying luggage and Christmas boxes, were welcomed by their relatives and friends. Caoimhe Brogam arrived by air from Abu Dhabi and is proceeding home to Holywood. She remarked, “It is a bit colder here, but it is good to be home.” Her father, Mark, who also resides in the Middle East, has undertaken the journey home for Christmas. He stated, “Christmas is very important for family – we have two grandchildren and we are looking forward to spending time as a family.” Caoimhe’s mother, Mary, added, “Home is always home and it is nice to be back together.” University student Eleanor Welch expressed considerable excitement about returning home from Liverpool for Christmas. She commented, “I don’t get home very often, but when I do, it is very special.” She also added, “I am looking forward to the free food at home.” Concurrently, Friday is projected to be the busiest day leading up to Christmas at Dublin Airport, with approximately 93,000 passengers anticipated to pass through its terminals. Overall, the airport expects to accommodate approximately 1.4 million passengers during this festive period. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.