Stansted
Stansted Airport is now the UK’s third largest airport and 2006 was another record-breaking year for passenger numbers.
How did we perform?
In March, Stansted overtook Manchester to become the UK’s third biggest airport, attracting 23.8 million passengers, a rise of 7.2%. Routes also reached record levels with some 26 new services and five new international destinations launched. The airport delivered underlying revenues of £141 million and underlying operating profit of £42 million. Following August’s terror threats, Stansted recruited additional security staff to reduce queuing time at security search areas. However, passenger satisfaction still slipped from 4.1 to 4.0 (5 = excellent; 1 = poor). This combination of new security standards and increasing passenger numbers has highlighted the need for expansion if Stansted is to remain at the heart of UK air travel growth.
How will expansion help things?
Enhancing the passenger experience remains the key priority. February saw the introduction of internet check-in facilities, a new public transport interchange and new retail outlets, increasing the choices for passengers. We have also started work to enlarge the arrivals hall. As the low cost flying revolution continues, we need to be even more focussed on delivering a first-rate travel experience to remain at the heart of the growth.
Looking ahead, Stansted will be a focus of growth for both BAA and UK aviation in general, with two major projects on the go to give passengers what they want – more routes and easier travel. The first project, called Generation 1, aims to grow the airport on its existing single runway beyond the current annual passenger limit of 25 million a year. To achieve this, in 2006, Stansted applied to lift this limit, which if approved would increase capacity to around 35 million passengers a year by 2015. Positive progress has been made with preparations to apply for a second runway within an extended airport boundary; a project called Generation 2. If approved, this would take passenger numbers to some 68 million a year by 2030. Both applications will be the subject of independent public inquiries.
