UK. London Southend Airport opened a new passenger terminal yesterday (5 March), which will become a key base for easyJet operations, with 70 flights a week from April. The airport is operated by haulage and logistics company Stobart Group.
It houses the first Stobart Airport Shopping outlet, the airport owner’s new in-house retail brand. Concessionaires include WH Smith for news & books and Searcy’s Catering, which operates food & beverage through its Arnold & Forbes café brand (available in the terminal and at the railway station serving the airport).
The airport has pledged that it will take no more than 15 minutes “˜from plane to train’ for passengers and no more than four minutes of queuing at security.
Opening the terminal, Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening said: “Regional airports have an important role to play in this country’s national infrastructure, and this impressive new facility comes at a key time – perfectly positioned for the 2012 Games just a train ride away in Stratford.”
Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said: “We are extremely proud of the work we have done here at London Southend Airport. Since early 2009 we have worked very hard to deliver on the promises we’ve made around bringing the airport back to a new era of prosperity. Now we are delivering on these promises, with new services to Ireland, over 500 new jobs created, a new railway station, new air traffic control tower, new terminal, new hotel, and we’re extending the runway for the start of easyJet services to nine destinations next month. There are very exciting times ahead for London Southend Airport and the broader south Essex and Thames Gateway region.”
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easyJet is set to begin operations in April at Southend, and will offer 70 flights a week |
Since Stobart Group purchased the airport in 2008, £100 million of private sector funds have been invested in the redevelopment, with a predicted passenger growth to one million in the 12 months from April 2012 with the start of 70 easyJet services a week.
The airport is projected to serve two million passengers a year by 2020. A new airport hotel is also planned for completion in summer 2012.
About the Stobart Group
Operating from over 40 sites across the UK and Europe, Stobart Group is one of the UK’s leaders in multimodal logistics, warehousing and biomass fuel sectors. At the core of the business is Eddie Stobart, the well-known name behind a huge road haulage fleet. Other divisions include Stobart Rail and Stobart Air – which operates two airports including London Southend.
