UK’s largest airports group records positive half year results

A successful summer season delivered a positive first-half performance for MAG, leaving it in a strong position to continue its investment in its airports to improve customer service and support sustainable growth.

MAG (Manchester Airports Group), which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports, today published its interim results for the period 1 April – 30 September 2023, during which it generated record half-year revenues of £705.6m (FY23: £565.2m).

Its airports collectively handled 34.9m passengers during the period, up 4.4m on the prior year. That represented just under 96% of pre-pandemic levels. In July, London Stansted became the first major airport to exceed pre-Covid volumes when compared to the same month in 2019, with Manchester marking that milestone in October, when East Midlands reached the 98% mark.

Manchester Airport welcomed 16.4m passengers between April and September, with 15.8m passing through London Stansted and 2.7m through East Midlands.

 Not only did all MAG airports increase passenger volumes between April-September, they delivered consistently good service levels, with the vast majority of passengers passing through security in 15 minutes of less throughout the summer (Manchester – 96%, London Stansted – 98%, East Midlands – 100%). In July, all three received the highest possible rating from the Civil Aviation Authority for the service they provide to passengers with assisted travel needs.

Jet2 to operate flights to Agadir and Marrakech from London Stansted

London Stansted will soon offer new flights and holiday packages from Jet2 to Morocco.

The airline will operate year-round to Agadir and Marrakech, with flights and holidays on sale for both Winter 24/25 and Summer 25.

Flights to Marrakech will be twice weekly between October 4th, 2024 and November 14th, 2025, while flights to Agadir will be also twice weekly between October 3rd, 2024 and November 16th, 2025.  

Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director, said:  “It's great news that Jet2 is adding even more destinations to its already impressive schedule from London Stansted. With these new flights to Marrakech and Agadir, passengers will have even more choice of great value flights and holidays with the convenience of flying from their local airport.”

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays said:  “We are thrilled to be giving customers and independent travel agents even more choice from London Stansted Airport thanks to the launch of Morocco as a brand-new destination. With year-round availability to the magical destinations of Marrakech and Agadir, we are giving holidaymakers access to two famous holiday hotspots from their local airport. We are incredibly excited about these new destinations, and we know how immensely popular they will be with our customers.”

 “This latest expansion demonstrates the strength of our growing business, and it comes on the back of customers and independent travel agents across the region choosing to travel with us time and time again. Our award-winning proposition clearly continues to delight holidaymakers and we look forward to welcoming even more customers onboard thanks to the launch of these two brand-new destinations.”

London Stansted is hosting a local jobs fair to recruit hundreds of new employees a on 10th October

London Stansted is hosting its latest jobs fair to recruit hundreds of new employees ahead of a busy winter season.  More than 500 job openings will be on offer in the areas such as flight crew, baggage handling, security, retail, and hospitality at the airport's Radisson Blu Hotel on 10th October.

The jobs fair comes as Stansted continues to make the fastest recovery of any major airport in the UK following the pandemic with August the second busiest month on record.  The airport and some of its on-site business partners are now looking to recruit additional staff for the winter and busy Christmas travel season.

Stansted has welcomed more than 27 million passengers in the last 12 months and expects numbers to continue growing as passengers take advantage of the industry-leading choice, value and efficiency it offers.

Nathan Mullane, the airport’s Employment and Skills Manager, said:   “The jobs fair will feature over 500 vacancies, including those for cabin crew, engineers, and retail assistants. For those seeking employment in the aviation sector, the event will provide an excellent opportunity to meet employers, learn about job opportunities, and network. We are really focussed on attracting ambitious new colleagues from across the East of England and London with a passion for exceptional customer service to join us at London Stansted as the airport continues to increase passenger numbers with many new destinations and increased capacity on popular routes on offer this winter. Our team is looking forward to meeting many new prospective employees at the event and hopefully welcoming them into the team in the coming months.”

Some of the employers looking to meet new talent are Ryanair, TUI, Swissport, Border Force, World Duty Free and MAG London Stansted.  Those securing roles with MAG can also take advantage of a wide range of benefits.  These include discounts of up to 80% on public transport when travelling to work, free on-site car parking whilst working and when going on holiday, pension scheme, training programmes and retail discounts.

The Airport Academy will also be in attendance promoting its free pre-employment support programmes, including fully accredited training schemes for those who are on jobs seekers allowance, and require additional support before applying for the jobs.

The event will be held at the airport’s Radisson Blu Hotel between 10am and 2pm on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

Visitors will be offered free travel on public transport and free parking will also be available at the venue.

To find out more and to book a place on the jobs fair click here

Full Stansted Express timetable to return from December

The Stansted Express train service between London Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street will be fully restored to four trains per hour from December.

After reintroducing four trains per hour during peak hours in May, Greater Anglia is resuming the full every 15-minute pre-pandemic service on Sunday, December 10, in response to the continuing increase in passenger numbers at the airport.

Gareth Powell, Managing Director, of Stansted Airport said:  "London Stansted has been the fastest recovering major UK airport with passenger numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the last two months.

We, therefore, welcome the upcoming reintroduction of the full four trains per hour schedule, as it's a vital service for the millions of passengers who rely on a convenient and reliable service between London and the airport each year.

A regular, turn-up-and-go service will not only encourage more passengers back onto trains and out of private cars to enable the most sustainable growth possible at the airport, and cement our position as the number one airport in the UK for public transport use by passengers, but it will also support our on-going work to attract more airlines looking to access the UK and London aviation market.

This is really positive news for passengers, staff and local commuters, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Greater Anglia to develop further timetable enhancements and service improvements.”

London Stansted reports second busiest month ever as more than 2.91 million passengers use the airport in August

London Stansted rounded off the school holiday season by continuing to outpace the recovery of all major UK airports.

Figures released this week show that despite the significant impact of the national air traffic control failure on Bank Holiday Monday, August was Stansted’s second busiest month ever as more than 2.91 million passengers took advantage of the industry-leading choice, value and efficiency it offers.

The monthly total was up 12% on August last year, and equivalent to 102% of the number of people served in August 2019.

The airport also recorded its busiest day of the year with 100,561 passengers passing through the terminal on August 18. This daily total was the fourth busiest day ever at London Stansted.

The total number of passengers served at the airport in the 12-months ending August 2023 stands at 27.1 million, an increase of 40% on the previous year’s total.

Across the peak summer season between June and August, more than 8.31 million passengers passed through London Stansted.  Operational performance during this period remained strong, with more than 97% of passengers passing safely through security in 15 minutes or less.

Customer service feedback in July and August was also positive with 93% of passengers surveyed rating their overall satisfaction with the service they received as good, very good or excellent.

UK’s largest airport group served 5.8m passengers in June, equal to 96% of pre-pandemic levels

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) saw more than 5.8m passengers pass through its airports in June, an increase of 13.7% on June 2022.

The Group which owns Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports also recorded a rolling 12-month passenger total of more than 56 million passengers – up 67.8% on last year.

Manchester Airport served 2.8m passengers across the month – up 15% on June 2022, and London Stansted served 2.6m passengers – up 11% on last year. East Midlands Airport served 487,000 passengers in June, up 22% on June 2022.

All three airports passenger volumes were equivalent to more than 90% of June 2019 levels. London Stansted’s recovery continues to lead the way – and in June was 98% of 2019 levels. Manchester Airport’s passenger levels were equivalent to 94% and East Midlands’ stood at 91%. Collectively, the Group’s passenger figures were 96% of those seen in June 2019.

Across the early part of the summer season, MAG has delivered a consistent level of customer service for passengers. In the quarter from April-June 99% of passengers at East Midlands Airport passed through security in 15 minutes or less, the figure was 97% at London Stansted and 95% at Manchester. As the Group prepares for its busiest period when school holidays begin in July, it is working hard to ensure this high level of service continues.

London Stansted announce plans to extend terminal building....

This week London Stansted Airport executives announced plans to extend the terminal building and put in a planning application to the local authority shortly. 

The proposed scheme, which if approved will see a three-bay extension to the back of the terminal building, is designed to transform the airport experience. It will provide a more spacious departure lounge for passengers, including new shops, bars and restaurants, state-of-the-art check-in equipment, increased baggage system capacity and an enlarged security hall with additional space for more security lanes fitted with next-generation scanners. 

London Stansted has been one of the UK’s fastest recovering airports following the lifting of international travel restrictions last year, serving more than 26 million passengers in the last 12 months. 

Stansted is expected to pass pre-pandemic passenger levels during the coming year and is set for its busiest summer season on record. 

The extension will enable the airport to improve its capacity at busy times and cater for more passengers in the years ahead.  

The scheme is the result of extensive analysis of the options for adding terminal capacity, and the proposals represent the most efficient and timely way to improve all elements of the passenger journey through the airport, while also providing the extra space required to accommodate forecast growth. 

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:  “Our plan to invest in new facilities is great news for our customers, partners, and the region because it will provide additional terminal capacity and a better passenger experience for everyone travelling through London Stansted Airport. 

The UK's worst ranked airports for cancellations.....

UK’s airports ranked on performance ahead of summer holidays

220m passed through UK airports in 2022

Glasgow cancelled the most flights with 1,500 in 2022

Belfast & Stansted were reliable with only 0.8% & 0.7% of flights cancelled

The latest research by tax specialists, RIFT, reveals that while Heathrow may be the UK’s busiest major airport, Brits heading abroad this summer are best to avoid Glasgow Airport, as it ranks as the worst when it comes to the proportion of flights being cancelled.

RIFT analysed the number of annual flights and cancellations at each of the UK’s 10 busiest airports to see which provides the most efficient service to passengers. 

Last year (2022), a combined total of 221.8 million passengers passed through the UK’s 10 busiest airports. 

28%, or 61.6 million, of these people travelled through Heathrow, making it the busiest airport in the nation. 

Gatwick handled 32.8 million passengers (15%), while Manchester and Stansted (10.5%) each served an estimated 23.3 million passengers (11%).

However, when it comes to the possibility of flight cancellations throwing a spanner in the works for UK holidaymakers, it’s Glasgow Airport that is most likely to kick off your holiday on a sour note. 

In 2022 2.5% of all flights from Glasgow were cancelled and while this might not seem like many, it equates to almost 1,500 cancellations. 

Heathrow does rank second when it comes to the frequency of cancelled flights. Of the 367,000 flights that were due to take off last year, Heathrow saw a cancellation rate of 1.7% or 6,391 flights.

Gatwick (3,472) and Edinburgh (1,363) also rank high with 1.6% of flights taken off the board.

Meanwhile, Birmingham airport handled almost 69,000 flights in 2022 and managed a cancellation rate of just 0.6%, equivalent to less than 400 flights. 

Stansted (0.7%) and Belfast International (0.8%) were also impressively reliable. 

Check the tables online here RIFT Holiday cancellations and passports 

What to do if your flight is cancelled

If your flight is cancelled, you have a legal right to either a full refund or a replacement flight to your intended destination. 

If you are halfway through a journey and the cancelled flight is, for example, a connecting flight, you also have the right to a free flight back to the airport you originally departed from. 

If a cancellation delays your journey for more than two hours, and occurs less than 14 days before the scheduled flight time, you are also entitled to compensation to cover your costs, such as food or accommodation when required. 

Compensation ranges between £100-£500 depending on how many miles the cancelled flight was going to take you and how many hours late your eventual arrival was. 

Be passport prepared

While cancelled flights are a common cause of holiday frustration and disappointment, it’s more common for holidays to be disrupted by passport issues. 

If your passport is out of date, it needs renewing before you can travel. The timeline for receiving a new passport is around 12-29 days after submitting your application. But His Majesty’s Passport Office recommends you allow for a waiting time of 10 weeks. 

What’s really important to know is that even if your passport is within its expiry date, it still might not be valid depending on your destination of choice. 

Some countries, such as the US, simply require your passport to be in-date for the duration of your trip, but many popular destinations require you to have at least three months left on your passport, including Spain, Greece, Italy, and France.

Anyone who isn’t aware of this can be in for a nasty surprise when they get to the airport and cancelled flights will be the least of your worries. 

Be prepared and make sure you check the rules specific to your destination well ahead of travelling. 

Bradley Post, MD of RIFT, commented: “Given how many flights leave UK airports every day, it’s fair to say that the industry is highly efficient and reliable with cancellations kept at a minimum. 

In fact, if your holiday is going to get scuppered at the airport, it’s far more likely to be a passenger error than an airline error. Forgotten passports and out of date passports are always going to be leading contributors to ruined holidays. 

You’ve got to double check your passport well before you travel. And don’t forget, when a flight is cancelled by the airline, there’s a good chance of getting your money back. But if it’s your own fault that you can’t travel as planned, you’re not going to get any compensation whatsoever.”

New routes from London Stansted this spring

London Stansted’s departure boards have a spring in their step as new routes are added to its growing European route network this week.

Summer timetables kicked-off on Sunday, March 26, with Ryanair launching a three-times-weekly service to Newquay, and Widerøe starting a twice-weekly service to Bergen in Norway.

Meanwhile, Jet2 will launch two new city break destinations with flights starting to Athens and Rome on Thursday (March 30).

Several other new routes will begin in the coming weeks, including flights from Ryanair to Belfast, Edinburgh, Asturias, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig, and Emirates will start operating a second daily flight to Dubai from May 1.

Stansted is a market leader for short-haul travel and with 180 European destinations it serves more scheduled connections to the continent than any other UK airport.

London Stansted’s Head of Brand and Marketing, Neringa Ohrstrom, said:  “London Stansted was the fastest recovering major airport in the UK in 2022 serving over 23 million passengers, and with more new routes joining the departure boards, we’re set for a very busy and exciting summer.    

The weekend marked the start of the summer season for the industry, and we were delighted to launch two brand new routes to Newquay and Bergen.

Rome and Athens flights will begin this week with Jet2, and there are several other new routes coming up, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Asturias, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig flights operated by Ryanair.

“While Stansted is leading airport in the UK for connections to Europe, it’s also really exciting to be expanding our long-haul network even further with a second daily flight to Dubai in May.”

London Stansted tops 25 million passengers in the last year......

London Stansted welcomed more than 1.7 million passengers in February 2023, up 49% on the same month last year, when Covid-19 testing requirements began to ease for travellers.

The monthly total was equivalent to 92% of the passengers passing through the airport in February 2019, prior to the impacts of the pandemic.

The number of passengers using London Stansted in the 12-months ending February 2023 totalled 25 million, up 183% on the previous year.

Stansted has connections to more European destinations that any other UK airport, and this was reflected in the most popular places flown to during the month.

The top five destinations in February were:

1.    Dublin

2.    Istanbul

3.    Rome

4.    Edinburgh

5.    Bergamo (Milan)

Meanwhile, Emirates’ service to Dubai, which will operate twice a day from 1st May, continues to be very popular, with thousands of people flying to the Middle East hub during February to visit the UAE or access the airline’s global network of 150 onward destinations.

Also, London Stansted marked the 10th anniversary during the month of the airport’s acquisition by MAG, a period that saw more than 200 million passengers travelled through Stansted on 1.3 million flights served by 85 airlines to 299 destinations in 52 countries.

Nick Millar, London Stansted’s Operations Director, said:  “February was another strong month for passenger growth at London Stansted as we welcomed more than 1.7 million passengers to the airport. As a result, we have now served more than 25 million passengers in the last year, a clear indication of the airport’s excellent bounce-back following the easing of travel restrictions 12 months ago.

London Stansted grows to become the UK’s number one gateway to Europe in 10 years

London Stansted has just marked the 10th anniversary of Manchester Airports Group’s (MAG) acquisition of the airport which opened up a new era in its history.   London Stansted was added to MAG's portfolio of Manchester and East Midlands airports on February 28, 2013, from Heathrow Airport Holdings for £1.5billion.  Under MAG ownership, millions of pounds have been invested in revamping facilities, Jet2 and Emirates have been added to its list of carriers, and it has grown to become the UK's number one gateway to Europe.

Planning permission has been secured to handle 43 million passengers and long-term growth deals have been signed with airlines including its biggest carrier, Ryanair.

It has also welcomed Air Force One and the President of the United States numerous times, as well as being the airport of choice for the returning cast and crew members from the hit television series, Love Island.

Gareth Powell, Stansted Airport Managing Director, said:  "It has been a fantastically exciting and successful 10 years at Stansted and although it has been challenging at times, especially during the COVID pandemic, we should be proud of what we have accomplished over the decade.

London Stansted kicks-off 2023 with strongest passenger performance since pandemic

Stansted served 1.82 million passengers in January, equal to 94% of pre-pandemic levels

Highest percentage achieved since the lifting of travel restrictions last year

12-month passenger total now stands at more than 24.4 million

London Stansted began the new year as it ended 2022 with another strong passenger and operational performance.

The airport welcomed more than 1.82 million passengers in January 2023, up 173% on the same month last year.

The monthly total was equivalent to 94% of the passengers passing through the airport in January 2019, and the highest monthly percentage achieved in its rapid recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

The number of passengers using London Stansted in the 12-months ending January 2023 reached 24.4 million, up 217% on the previous year.

Operational performance in January also remained strong, with 99% of departing passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:  “I’m really pleased the team here at London Stansted delivered yet another the strong passenger performance in January, achieving 94% of passenger volumes for the same month pre-pandemic, and building on the positive growth we experience last year after travel restrictions we lifted.

 I’m equally delighted we continue to provide a smooth and efficient security operation for our passengers, which we aim to maintain as we welcome many more passengers this week as they head off on half-term breaks, and as we build up to the peak summer months.

To meet rising passenger demand, we are recruiting even more colleagues to join our teams, as are many of our business partner across the airport. Last week’s jobs fair proved to be huge success, attracting hundreds of eager job seekers, so our plans to offer the best passenger experience and service as we continue to bounce back are well on-track.”

Wideroe to start new Bergen - London Stansted route next month.

A new Widerøe flight linking London Stansted and Bergen will offer travellers from London and the East of England easy access to Norway's famous fjords from 26 March 2023.

Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will operate a twice-weekly service to the country’s second-largest city using a 110-seat Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.  Flights will depart London Stansted at 18.40 on Fridays and 11.30 on Sundays.

A World Heritage Site located in the west of Norway, Bergen, is renowned for its Bryggen harbour district, one of Europe's oldest ports, and as the gateway to Norwegian fjords.

Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director, said:  "We're delighted to welcome Widerøe to London Stansted, adding yet another new destination to our growing network and giving passengers even more choice when travelling from their local airport.

This new route makes a beautiful region of Norway more accessible to UK travellers as well as being an important route for business, especially the energy industry in Norway and the East of England."

Christian Skaug, Widerøe’s Commercial Director, said:   "We are very pleased to be flying to London Stansted from 26th March and being able to maintain London as part of our route map. London Stansted has smooth and convenient connections to the City of London, which we know our customers will appreciate."

Several other new flights will be available from London Stansted this summer, including Belfast, Newquay, Edinburgh, Asturias, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig with Ryanair.

A new flight linking London Stansted and Bergen to start 26 March....

A new Widerøe flight linking London Stansted and Bergen will offer travellers from London and the East of England easy access to Norway's famous fjords from 26 March 2023.

Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will operate a twice-weekly service to the country’s second-largest city using a 110-seat Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.  Flights will depart London Stansted at 18.40 on Fridays and 11.30 on Sundays.

A World Heritage Site located in the west of Norway, Bergen, is renowned for its Bryggen harbour district, one of Europe's oldest ports, and as the gateway to Norwegian fjords.

Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director, said:  "We're delighted to welcome Widerøe to London Stansted, adding yet another new destination to our growing network and giving passengers even more choice when travelling from their local airport.

This new route makes a beautiful region of Norway more accessible to UK travellers as well as being an important route for business, especially the energy industry in Norway and the East of England."

Christian Skaug, Widerøe’s Commercial Director, said:   "We are very pleased to be flying to London Stansted from 26th March and being able to maintain London as part of our route map. London Stansted has smooth and convenient connections to the City of London, which we know our customers will appreciate."

Several other new flights will be available from London Stansted this summer, including Belfast, Newquay, Edinburgh, Asturias, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig with Ryanair.

Meanwhile, Emirates is launching a second daily service to Dubai on May 1 and Jet2 is also adding new flights to Rome and Athens.

VisitNorway.com

Bergen is known as "The heart of the fjords"....

Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway and yet it also offers small-town charm alongside a metropolitan character that matches any European tourist destination. 

The UNESCO World Heritage site Bryggen, the Hanseatic wharf is a key relic from times gone by, when the city was a key centre for trade between Norway and Europe.  These days, the wharf is host to a museum, shops, galleries, and restaurants, popular with locals and visitors alike. 

Not far away is a jolly and lively fish market which has a long history of providing the locals with freshly caught sea creatures since 1276. Although, the market now also sells more than just fish, offering fruit and veg,  souvenirs and handicrafts.  

There is a vibrancy about Bergen which might be because around 10% of the population is made up of students and that means there is always something happening at one of the many bars, venues or restaurants.  

KODE is one of the largest museums for art, design and music in all the Nordic nations and is a wonderful building dating back to 1896 which has undergone a complete renovation over the last couple of years. 

Not far away is the home of Norway's most famous composer Edvard Grieg which is now a museum and exhibition centre. 

London Stansted Trust relaunches with £150,000 to giveaway

London Stansted’s community arm is celebrating the new year by relaunching with a new name and committee.

Stansted Airport Community Fund will replace Stansted Airport Community Trust and provide £150,000 a year in grants to local charities and community groups within a ten-mile radius of the airport.

Projects that support community life, leisure activities, the environment and conservation will qualify to receive donations of up to £5,000, with a flagship award of up to £50,000 being presented annually.

The airport is relaunching the fund to strengthen its ties with the community as part of its successful planning application to serve up to 43 million passengers a year.

It will donate £1.5 million to the fund over the next decade, which will be topped up by fines levied on airlines that breach strict noise restrictions.

Daniel Burford, London Stansted’s Community Engagement Manager, said:

“Stansted Airport is an integral part of the community, and we take our responsibility to be a good neighbour, provide educational opportunities and drive sustainability forward very seriously.

“The new fund will allow our new committee members to work together with local people in deciding where the £150,000 annual donation from the airport goes to.

“We have made the application process as simple as possible but we’re happy to offer help to any groups who may be interested in applying.

“We know that community organisations continue to face huge challenges and grant funding like this is more important than ever.

“We hope that the fund will help bring the community together and make a positive difference for local residents."

An independent committee representing local authorities and airport stakeholders, including the airport consultative committee, has been appointed as part of the revamp, and they will meet every three months to consider grant applications.

1,000 vacancies on offer at London Stansted jobs fair

London Stansted and its airport partners are looking to recruit 1,000 new employees to boost their ranks ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer season.

A jobs fair will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel on February 7 to showcase almost 200 different job roles in areas such as airport security, customer service, engineering, and retail.

Airport companies looking for new talent include Ryanair, Titan Airways, Border Force, Jet2.com, World Duty-Free, HMS Host, National Express, Harrods Aviation, and London Stansted Airport.

Stansted was one of the fastest-recovering major airports in the UK from the COVID pandemic, with passenger numbers topping 90% of 2019 levels by summer 2022 and into this winter.  

With passenger numbers expected to grow further throughout 2023, companies across the airport are starting to recruit early to ensure they are at full strength in time for the summer peak.

Nathan Mullane, London Stansted’s Employment & Skills Manager, said:  “After a very successful recruitment campaign which we kicked-off early last year to get Stansted ready for summer 2022, we're now looking forward to this summer, which is expected to be even busier as passenger number continue to increase. More than 1,000 vacancies are available at the airport, including cabin crew, engineers, retail assistants, and hospitality workers.

All of these jobs require training before applicants can begin working, so we're beginning the application process now to make sure we're at full strength for the summer.

Next month’s jobs fair will be an excellent opportunity for those looking for work in the aviation sector to meet employers, find out about job opportunities, and make connections.

It will also give job seekers a chance to learn more about the various roles available in aviation and gain some insight into what employers are looking for.”

Also at the jobs fair, the Airport Academy will promote its free pre-employment support courses, which include fully accredited training schemes for people on jobseeker’s allowance who need additional assistance prior to applying for jobs.

Stansted Airport Jobs Fair Tickets, Tue 7 Feb 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

There will be free public transport and free parking at the venue for visitors attending the event. To find out more and to book a place click here.

Emirates to resume second daily flight to London Stansted

Emirates is ramping up its London Stansted operation by resuming its second daily service to Dubai from May 1, 2023, in response to strong demand.

The additional flight will operate using the airline's wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with its acclaimed 'Game Changer' First Class product.

The world's largest international airline began serving the airport in June 2018, initially with a daily flight, then a twice-daily service in March 2019. 

The route was suspended during the COVID pandemic but was reinstated in August 2022.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said: “The return of Emirates' second daily flight to Dubai is exciting news for passengers and a huge boost for London Stansted Airport, London and the East of England. The decision to have 14 weekly flights from Stansted is a demonstration of the airline's confidence in the demand for long-haul travel from the airport. Since the airline returned to the airport in the summer following the COVID pandemic, the route has been extremely popular, providing onward connections to locations all around the world."

A second daily flight to Stansted is also expected to boost trade and economic growth in the region. 

Popular inbound markets include Australia, UAE, India, South Africa, China, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Emirates passengers travelling from London Stansted will also have access to more destinations across the airline’s global network with convenient connection times. 

Several popular destinations for UK travellers are Brisbane, Melbourne, Male, Seychelles, Bali, Singapore, Colombo, Bangalore and Bangkok.

Richard Jewsbury, Divisional Vice President, Emirates UK, said: “Since we recommenced services to and from Stansted in August 2022, bookings have continued to surge from the London hub. It is fantastic to be scaling up operations even further this year offering passengers increased connectivity ahead of the popular summer holiday period. Stansted is a key hub for Emirates in the East and Southeast of the UK, and we look forward to welcoming even more passengers onboard.”

The airport recently announced the opening of a new double airbridge enhancing its capability to handle wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380. 

Emirates became the first airline to use the new bridge, which enables passengers to board and disembark wide-bodied aircraft more quickly and comfortably.

Passenger numbers up at London Stansted during December....

London Stansted ended 2022 with a continued strong passenger performance as the airport welcomed more than 1.85 million passengers in December.

The monthly total is more than double the number of passengers served in December last year and represents 93% of passengers that used Stansted in the same month in 2019, before the pandemic.

The total number of passengers that passed through the airport in 2022 reached 23.3million, up 226% on 2021.

The strong performance continues to be underpinned by the airport’s extensive European route network, which once again prove extremely popular with passengers, especially with those flying off to visit family and friends over the festive season.

Operational performance in December was also strong, with 99% of passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less.

The airport received a further boost with news that Emirates is ramping up its London Stansted operation by resuming its second daily service to Dubai from May 1, 2023, which is expected to enable more trade and economic growth in the East of England and London.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:   “To round the year off with another strong passenger performance in December is a great achievement, and a testament to the strength of Stansted’s route network.

This was the first festive season for three years without travel restrictions, so we were delighted to welcome so many passengers, and I’m equally pleased we were able to provide a strong operational and security performance during such a busy period. This success was down to the hard work and dedication of all our colleagues, and close cooperation and planning with our many partners right across the airport campus.

Stansted’s rapid recovery during 2022 was great news for everyone connected with the airport, but my focus is now on maintaining and building upon that success as well look ahead to what we expect to be an even busier 12 months ahead of us.”

London Stansted records best month yet as strong recovery continues in November

1.83 million passengers travelled through Stansted in November 

12-month rolling total now stands at 22.3 million

London Stansted recorded its strongest recovery in passenger volumes yet in November.

The airport welcomed 1.83 million passengers during November, representing 97% of the passengers served in the same month in 2019, the highest proportion of traffic seen at Stansted throughout the recovery period.

In the 12 months ending November 2022, the airport served more than 22.3 million passengers, an increase of 247% on the same period in 2021.

Stansted’s recovery has been driven by its wide range of popular European destinations which continue to prove extremely popular with passengers, with traffic at some points outstripping demand seen before the pandemic.

Operational performance also remained positive with 99% of passengers passing through security in less than 15 minutes.

Ciaron Brannigan, London Stansted’s Commercial Director, said:  “We’re delighted with the continuation of the strong traffic trends in the winter season.  This recovery has been underpinned by the introduction of new routes from Ryanair, including Catania (Italy), Asturias (Spain), Klagenfurt (Austria), Leipzig (Germany and Edinburgh, as well as capacity increases from Play to Reykjavik and Pegasus to Istanbul.

With a busy festive season soon to be upon us, we expect to see passenger demand at the airport remain very strong over the period.”

Eco-garden competition winners announced

Eco-garden competition winners announced as prize pot increases to £60,000

Seven green-thinking local schools have won a share of £60,000 in Stansted Airport's eco-garden competition.

Primary schools within ten miles of the airport were encouraged to submit designs for gardens or green spaces that improve biodiversity to compete for the cash prizes.

A prize fund of £45,000 was initially offered by the airport for the competition but due to the high quality of entries, it decided to award grants to all shortlisted schools, resulting in a total prize pot of £60,000.

The designs were assessed by a panel which included representatives of the airport’s corporate social responsibility team and the Stansted Airport Community Trust.

Various layouts were submitted, including proposals for ponds, outdoor classrooms, sensory gardens, food growing areas, and accessible green spaces.

Bishop's Stortford's Hertfordshire and Essex High School, Hockeril Anglo-European College, Richard Whittington Primary School, Thorn Grove Primary School, Windhill 21 Primary School, St Mary's C of E Primary School in Saffron Walden and Great Easton Primary School are the seven schools sharing the £60,000 prize pot.

Daniel Burford, Stansted Airport’s Community Engagement Manager, said: "We had some really fantastic ideas on our shortlist, and it was really tough to narrow it down, so we decided to award cash prizes to all of the shortlisted schools, increasing the total prize pot from £45,000 to £60,000. We are really pleased with how many entries we had, and the winners should be proud of themselves. We hope that the prize money will make a difference and allow the schools to bring their brilliant ideas to life. These ideas will not only lead to the creation of new wonderful and rich green spaces and provide children with an excellent learning experience, but it will also contribute to their mental and physical well-being and highlight how important it is to respond to today’s climate challenge. Addressing this is one of our key priorities as the airport continues its recovery from the pandemic. We are fully focused on how this can be achieved sustainably and to help accelerate our progress towards becoming a Net Zero Carbon business by 2038, and a Net Zero Carbon industry by 2050.”

Bishop’s Stortford MP Julie Marson said: "I am delighted that so many schools in Bishop’s Stortford have received this fantastic award. Congratulations to them for all their creativity and hard work. Having encouraged headteachers across Hertford and Stortford to sign-up to the eco-schools programme earlier this year, I fully support Stansted’s work to champion this brilliant initiative now. I look forward to following all future progress.”

Windhill Primary in Bishop's Stortford received the good news from councillor Graham McAndrew, executive member for environmental sustainability at East Herts Council. He said: “I would like to congratulate the Windhill 21 Primary School on winning the cash prize in the Stansted Airport Eco Garden competition. It was great meeting the pupils and teachers today and seeing their design and the proposed location of the eco-garden. It will be exciting to see their project come to life.”

Garry LeCount, Uttlesford district councillor, visited St Mary's Primary School in Saffron Walden to announce their success. He said: “It was a pleasure to be invited to St Mary’s and announce that they had been chosen as the winners – it was a lovely surprise for the children. A competition like the Eco-Garden is an excellent way for young people to learn about the importance of protecting the environment and encouraging biodiversity. Congratulations to them.”

Mr Chris Jarmain, Head Teacher at St Mary’s Primary, said: “We were absolutely delighted to receive this exciting grant to create an Eco-Garden for our school, St Mary's, in Saffron Walden. This award will give our pupils the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of managing and maintaining a garden and its tools safely. It will also help the children to understand where food comes from and how to eat healthily and sustainably.  This new area will boost the physical and mental wellbeing of the children as well as their resilience, allowing them to connect with nature in all weathers. Thanks to our Forest School Leader and Sports Leader, Mrs McInnes as well as our Year 6 Eco Committee for putting in all of the hard work on this incredibly important project, which will have so many benefits for our school children for years to come. A truly long-lasting legacy!”

Mr Craig Wood, Head Teacher at Richard Whittington Primary School in Bishop’s Stortford, said: "This was a great competition delivered by the Stansted Airport Community Trust, our pupils thoroughly enjoyed designing the garden and are very excited to turn their dream garden into a learning and well-being space for the whole school.”

The Stansted Airport Community Trust is funding the competition, which supports initiatives in those areas most affected by the airport's operations. The airport has announced that it will donate £1.5 million to the Trust over ten years to support local charities and community projects.