Luton Airport unveils expansion plans

Luton Airport has today (13 February) unveiled plans to increase capacity to 18m annual passengers, double the current throughput.  The scheme will now go out to consultation until 26 March, an exhibition locally going on tour.  April is targeted for a planning application. 

Perhaps most important to the travelling public are plans to reconfigure road access to the central terminal area and car parks.  The proposals include a new apron encompassing much of the current short term parking area, replaced with a multi-storey car park.  This will include a drop off point.  Extra piers will be added.

From an operational point of view new taxiways at both ends of the single runway, together with high-speed turn offs in each direction, will increase aircraft movements substantially, and reduce the time that planes have to hold before actually getting airborne.  Hold-ups whilst in the air for inbound flights will also be reduced.  There will be substantial environmental and fuel saving gains.

Luton Airport is operated on behalf of the local Council by London Luton Airport Operations Ltd, a company owned by Spanish interests under a 30-year arrangement signed in 1998.  The agreement allows the Council to break the concession on 1 April 2014. www.futureluton.co.uk

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