Work to upgrade the departure lounge at Isle of Man Airport is expected to begin next week.

The multi-phase upgrade will take place throughout the year, with the first three phases expected to start on March 10 and be completed by mid-April.

The first stage of the project will see improvements made to the area immediately after passengers exit security.

High-top work bars with charging points will be installed as part of the plans while table seating and designated areas for passengers with reduced mobility will also be created.

The next phase of the upgrade will see work take place on the bar and Costa Coffee space.

The two outlets are set to effectively swap positions with the current bar area becoming an expanded Costa Coffee ‘zone’ with additional coffee machines, tills and panini stations designed to encourage faster service.

In turn, the existing Costa Coffee space will be transformed into a brand-new bar area, called the ‘Ellan Vannin Bar’.

A total of 131 seats will be available across the Costa and bar zones once the work is finished.

The Costa and bar will remain open during the project, although passengers are being asked to enter the departure lounge no more than two hours before their flight as space will be limited during the upgrade.

Interim airport director Geoff Pugh said: ‘We are committed to providing a modern, comfortable and welcoming environment for our passengers.

‘This upgrade is the first step in a series of enhancements aimed at improving the overall airport experience.’

Later in the year, the area around gates four and five at the rear of lounge will be redecorated, before 185 new seats are installed there.

Work will then take place on the downstairs holding lounge where 92 new seats will be installed.