North Sea Aviation Center (NSAC), the new business aviation terminal at Belgium’s Ostend-Bruges Flanders International Airport (EBOS), opened last week. Previously, private and business aviation flights were handled through the airport’s main terminal.

The $2.9 million facility features a three-story, 9,225-sq-ft terminal, with in-house customs and border control, a VIP lounge, concierge service, pilot lounge with snooze rooms and shower facilities, a 20-seat conference room, tenant office space, and a rooftop bar/terrace offering views of the airport. The complex also includes nearly 50,000 sq ft of hangar space.

NSAC was created as a result of increasing private jet traffic at the airport, which currently accounts for 6 percent of its movements. According to general manager Erik Vermeersch, EBOS, which features a 10,500-foot runway, is a 15-minute flight to London, making it an affordable alternate for remote aircraft parking.

“The intention is to bring more larger private jets to the airport,” said Vermeersch. “The operational capacities of the airport on one hand and the new NSAC facilities, on the other hand, are important assets in this context, which we will certainly use on international trade fairs and with our direct contacts with the operators.” He added that the location is targeting approximately 1,500 operations a year.