The passenger experience at Exeter International Airport will be enhanced next spring with the introduction of a further £400,000 worth of improvements to retail and catering areas.

The passenger experience at Exeter International Airport will be enhanced next spring with the introduction of a further £400,000 worth of improvements to retail and catering areas.

New contacts between the airport's owners and its concessionaires - WH Smith, Alpha Retail and Select Service Partner (SSP) - have brought about an agreement for greater investment in airport facilities for the travelling public.

The departure lounge, which was built in 2003 and had a £400,000, high-quality upgrade to the catering area earlier this year, will soon undergo a four-month, £250,000 overhaul to accommodate a new WH Smith outlet and a redesigned Alpha Retail shop

The check-in hall's Caffé Ritazza, (pictured) which has proved very popular since its opening in 2007, will also be enlarged. SSP will invest £150,000 in extending the café. This will not only bring about a larger seating area but it will also allow a greater choice of snacks and drinks to be served.

Announcing the new agreements today, Jamie Christon, Exeter Airport's Deputy Managing Director, said: "We are very pleased to be working with some of the biggest players in airport catering and retail and this new £400,000 investment from our partner companies demonstrates their belief that the Exeter Airport has great potential.

"Work will commence in December and we intend to have these new facilities ready by April 2009, but other work is set to follow as we bring about more improvements which will benefit our passengers, our staff and our business partners.