BCP Council has given an update on the future of Bournemouth Air Festival.

As this year’s event gets under way, the leader of BCP Council said the authority has spoken with “several potential operators for future years”.

Cllr Mille Earl said: “We understand people are keen to know what’s happening with the Bournemouth Air Festival after this year’s event.   

“A lot of work has gone into the Bournemouth Air Festival 2024 – thank you to all our partners who have worked with us to pull off what will be a fantastic event.  

“We’re currently scoping plans for a potential future air festival and have been honest that, bearing in mind the financial challenges we are facing as a council, this is the last year of a council funded air show.  

“We have talked to several potential operators for future years, but any decision needs to go through the full democratic process. No decision has been made yet and a report is due to go to the council’s cabinet in the autumn.  

“A potential future operator could decide to pause the production of an air festival in 2025 to allow time to plan and refresh the event for 2026. We will update residents, businesses and visitors as soon as we can.”  

This year’s event starts today and will run for just three days, compared to the previous four-day events.

The festival will see several new displays on show, including two formidable Swedish fighter jets, the Saab Viggen and Saab Draken, which will perform on all three days.  

The Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team, which played an important role in the historic D-Day landings 80 years ago, will also perform. 

Several flying favourites will also return to Bournemouth’s skies, including the Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon, Rich Goodwin’s Jet Pitts muscle bi-plane, the AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers and Otto the Helicopter.

In 2024, residents and visitors can give a voluntary donation of £2, £5 or £10 to help support a calendar of exciting future events and activities.  

Donations can be given online when ordering the commemorative 80th anniversary D-Day programme, which will contain a unique code that also provides access to the up-to-date flying schedule, or in person at any one of eight selected seafront kiosks.