A row has erupted over new advertising at the airport.

The glass between baggage reclaim and those meeting passengers is now obscured by floor to ceiling black advertising for finance company Utmost Wealth Solutions.

’I was really shocked,’ said a concerned resident, who remained anonymous. ’The reason given by the airport is it’s for security reasons, but there’s total confusion about that. The public feel they have been fobbed off.’

She added: ’The lovely uniqueness of coming through and seeing people waiting or getting off planes has gone. And the seating area (for those meeting passengers) has been taken away. The advert’s black as well. It always was a very special area.’

Former MLC Juan Turner said: ’This is the latest in a series of things that have been done at the airport, such as a new radar and scanners, at great expense that were not necessary. It’s empire-building.

’I’m sick to death of being told by [airport director] Ann Reynolds and her cronies things are done "for operational reasons". The advertising makes it horrible for people,’ he said. ’They are being anti-customer. The reason they say they have done it is not true.

’The baggage reclaim at other airports like Heathrow is visible by people picking up passengers.

’It would be better if the airport said: "We had the opportunity to make lots of money", not this security rubbish.’

Mrs Reynolds said: ’Operationally we should not be letting meeters and greeters see into the arrivals corridor and baggage carousel area, so we have made the changes to be like every other airport.

’Separately, in solving an operational issue we have sold the space for advertising, in trying to boost our revenues.

’If it was for a different reason, my statement would be different.’

Contradicting Mr Turner’s statement about Heathrow, she said: ’There is no commercial airport in the British Isles that allows passengers to see the baggage hall from landside (the main terminal concourse allowing passengers to see the baggage hall from the main concourse) areas.

’I believe we were the last.’

An Utmost Wealth Solutions spokesman said: ’Alterations were being undertaken by the airport, which we understand were for operational reasons, to screen off the whole of the arrivals area.

’We were approached to see if we would be interested in making use of the resulting promotional space that had become available.

’It was a requirement of the airport that the entire area should be screened, with no opportunity to view the arrivals area from the waiting area.’