Bristol braced for hectic holiday

Bristol Airport is set for a particularly busy holiday period this year as holidaymakers jet off to Christmas destinations, according to reports.

A rising number of travellers are expected to fly from the west country hub this December to popular Christmas shopping locations such as New York and German market towns like Bremen and Hamburg.

Demand is also anticipated for flights to Lapland, the mythical home of Father Christmas himself, the Western Daily Press reports.

Skiing holidays are always popular as winter begins to set in and a number of tour operators are offering trips from Bristol to European resorts such as Innsbruck, Turin and Geneva.

To mark the Christmas season and the reunions that often occur as people visit friends and family for the festive period, Bristol Airport has organised a Salvation Army band, a barbershop choir and a group of samba drummers to enhance the atmosphere.

Aviation development director Tony Hallwood said: "It's great to be able to play a small part in bringing people together at this time of year."