Bournemouth Air Festival organisers are keen to remind everyone of the air and sea activity restrictions that are in place throughout the four-day event.
From Thursday, 31 August – Sunday, 3 September, drones are strictly banned from flying at the event site in the restricted airspace, to protect participating aircraft and display teams.
Anyone caught flying a drone during this time can face prosecution by Dorset Police. At last year’s event, counter-drone police officers detected nine drones flying within the festival air space with pilots having their drones seized and were subject to positive police action.
A marine safety zone has been set up which prohibits boats from entering the sea below the flight display area, with marine patrols making sure everyone sticks to the rules.
This year’s festival, organised by BCP Council, includes an exciting programme of aerobatic displays and on-land entertainment.
Jon Weaver, Festival Director, BCP Council said: “Keeping everyone safe and following the relevant guidance is so important to the successful running of any festival.
“Behind the scenes, a huge workforce is coming together to ensure everything runs smoothly for the visitors, traders, pilots, military personnel, press, and everyone else attending the Air Festival, with safety the key priority underpinning the whole event.
“From the essential air restrictions that are in place to the marine safety zone, we have an extensive and robust event plan that covers all aspects of the operations, and we work alongside Dorset Police and other emergency services to provide the best possible experience for people attending.
“Any restrictions are put in place for everyone’s safety, so we can all have an enjoyable time at this event.”
People who want to have fun on the beach are being encouraged to follow the RNLI’s beach safety advice if entering the water which includes swimming between the red and yellow lifeguard flags and following their essential Float to Live guidance.
If anyone spots something suspicious, they’re being encouraged to follow the ‘See it, Say it, Sorted’ mantra and report it to a Police or Security Officer, Beach Ranger or member of the Events Team.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan, Gold Commander said: “Our multi-agency approach includes high visibility patrols by uniformed officers, armed police and security staff as well as CCTV monitoring.
“We want to welcome everyone to come and enjoy the air festival responsibly while reminding them to be vigilant and report anything suspicious.
“Overall, it’s about keeping everyone safe on the land, in the sea and in the skies, so those visiting the event can have a fantastic time over the four days.”
With impressive flying and aerobatics, stunning night displays and plenty of activities on land, hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Bournemouth’s seafront over the four days to enjoy this free event.
Families can also take advantage of the Allianz KidZone beach safety scheme to protect lost children on the seafront, and visitors are being reminded to keep hydrated by refilling their bottles at the water stations along the promenade.
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Notes to Editors
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- The Air Restrictions map can be found by visiting: EG_Circ_2023_M_088_en.pdf (bournemouthair.co.uk)
- The marine safety zone map can be found by visiting: BAF23-EP2-Marine-Safety-Zone-map-2023.pdf (bournemouthair.co.uk)
- The RNLI’s beach safety advice can be found by visiting: RNLI Beach Safety – Top Five Tips To Stay Safe By The Sea
- The RNLI’s Float to Live guidance can be found here: Float To Live – What To Do In An Emergency – RNLI
- More information on the Allianz KidZone scheme can be found here: Allianz KidZone Bournemouth – Bournemouth