Faith Features

Staff and passengers at Exeter International are to benefit from the introduction of the airport's own chaplaincy.

In partnership with Churches Together in Devon, three local clergy will be spending time at the terminal.

The Reverend John Eyles, the Reverend Gary Birch and Pastor Ian Huxham hope to get to grips with the workload faced by the staff on the site.

And travellers passing through the airport may also make use of the new venture.

Support for the workers

"We hope to try and understand the work that people do here," explained John Eyles. 

John chats to check-in staff

"Our aim is to relate to the opportunities and issues that arise, and respond to them in the light of Christian faith."

John comes to Exeter Airport with ten years of experience as a chaplain at Birmingham International Airport.

He will be visiting the airport at least once a fortnight while the new chaplaincy gets off the ground.

"I've just come out of retirement to get this started," he said, "but when I was at Birmingham, I was there virtually daily."

There are already chaplains at the UK's largest airports, and in all the major European hubs.

At many there are dedicated prayer rooms, although not yet at Exeter. To begin with, the chaplains will move around the building to wherever they're needed.

For the 300 staff, John, Gary and Ian will come to be seen as friendly faces.

"They can offer some form of counselling if there are issues at the work place or at home," explained the airport's communications manager Stephen Ayres.

"Some passengers become very anxious before a flight," he said. "They have a lot on their minds; sorting out the baggage and the children, or remembering their tickets.

A million people a year use this airport

"Some people get to the desk and they can't even remember where they're going!

"Sometimes the staff are stressed by that working environment".

Help for the passengers

The calming ear can be provided to staff and customers alike, as the airport strives to make the wait for the flight a vital part of a great holiday.

"The staff are so busy here, there's so much going on," said the Reverend Gary Birch.

"One of the passengers was saying it's lovely to be able to talk to someone and have a listening ear."

Gary Birch and Pastor Ian Huxham both have full-time commitments at churches in the region.

Their weekly visits to the airport will be a chance to spend time with people of different faiths, or of no faith at all.

"I'm always standing up in the pulpit and encouraging people to share their faith, so this is a chance to do that myself," Gary said.

Stringent security

The three chaplains have had to undergo the same staff training as other colleagues at the airport.

John may be found anywhere

"We need to be safe on the apron and around the aircraft, and there were exams which they didn't tell me about until I was in there," joked Gary.

There is always the possibility that an incident might heighten people's concerns.

"Following the disastrous fire at Madrid, there was a Spanair flight out of here on an identical aircraft," John recalled.

It was thought that passengers might be unduly anxious, and Ian Huxham was present in case anybody felt nervous of flying.

"I'm not sure if I'd be much help there," admitted Gary. "I am a little nervous myself. I'm not sure whether coming to work here will help!"

There are no such fears for John Eyres, who confessed to being a bit of an enthusiast.

"My initial training was in air engineering and I flew with the university air squadron, so flying is not a problem with me.

"My son is a gliding instructor and I was up in a glider only recently."