Luton Airport records busiest ever day
Passenger numbers at London Luton Airport (LLA) grew by 17.6% in May compared with the same month last year, marking 26 months' consecutive growth for the airport, with 27 May being the busiest ever day in LLA's 78-year history, as 50,564 passengers passed through the airport.
To meet sustained customer demand LLA is investing £110million to transform the airport. The development will increase capacity by 50%, from 12 to 18 million passengers by 2020 and will include a major redesign of the terminal creating a quick, efficient and friendly passenger experience.
In addition to physically expanding the terminal building, LLA is constantly expanding its route network. This month will see Adria Airways launching flights to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, on 19June.
Improving transport links is also a central aspect of the redevelopment. Junction 10a of the M1, has been upgraded reducing traffic and congestion, and a 24-hour rail service from London St Pancras was introduced in December 2015. Plans have also been confirmed for a light rail link between Luton Airport Parkway station and the airport terminal, replacing the current bus service. Once the new link is complete, the journey from London St Pancras to the terminal door will take less than 30 minutes.
Nick Barton, CEO of LLA, said: “Our ambitious redevelopment project is crucial for meeting the consistently high levels of demand for air travel we’re seeing in the South East – our record-breaking May is testament to this. As we wait for a decision from the government about a new runway, LLA is playing its part when it comes to addressing this demand in the short to medium term.”