●    Nearly one in six (15%) travellers liken their Dad’s approach to airport travel to a military operation 
●    Yet, almost half of travellers (44%) admit to having ‘Airport Dad’ traits themselves – regardless of whether they are travelling with children or not
●    London Luton Airport is offering a limited number of complimentary lounge and fast-track security passes for families travelling with a father figure this Father’s Day weekend
●    The airport will also make ‘Airport Dad’ tannoy announcements to ensure no passengers miss out on those ever-friendly dad reminders

With Father's Day approaching, the latest research from London Luton Airport (LLA) reveals that going on holiday can transform even the most mild-mannered dads into obsessive, no-nonsense timekeepers. Almost a third (29%) of travellers say their dads like to take charge of airport logistics when going away, and 15% liken their approach to a military operation.  

With a fifth (20%) confirming that their dad has a tendency to go into ‘Dad mode’ upon arriving at the airport, to ensure ‘everything stays to plan’, it’s little wonder that 25% of dads will constantly check the clock ahead of their flight departure time. 

Other common ‘Airport Dad’ rituals include getting to the airport earlier than necessary (24%), repeatedly checking passports and boarding passes (22%) and obsessively monitoring departure boards (18%). 

And while some may find Airport Dads amusing and possibly even a little annoying, almost half (44%) of travellers believe they share some of the characteristics – regardless of whether they have children or not.

For those travelling with an Airport Dad figure this weekend, London Luton Airport is offering a limited number of complimentary passes for the newly-opened My Lounge and fast-track security passes to help dads relax and take a break from their travel duties. 

The airport will also play a selection of tongue-in-cheek tannoy announcements, from choruses of 'Thank you for arriving two hours early', to 'Have you checked your passports and boarding passes in the last five minutes?', to ensure no passengers miss out on those ever-friendly dad reminders. 

London Luton Airport has also shared some of the key Airport Dad characteristics to look out for:
●    Passport, tickets and departure day itinerary ready at least one week before the trip (a bonus point if everything is in a plastic wallet)
●    Showing unusual signs of stress in the lead-up to the day of travel
●    Double/Triple-checking that all packed bags are under the weight limit
●    Packing luggage in the car/or leaving it by the front door the night before 
●    Allowing at least four hours travel time to the airport regardless of distance
●    Holding on to everyone’s travel documents e.g., passports/boarding passes, to ensure ‘everyone stays together’
●    Regularly checking the clock ahead of the flight departure time
●    Repeatedly checking everyone’s passports and boarding passes 
●    Obsessively watching the departures board “just in case” anything changes
●    Finding a window to see the planes 

Being stressed in the lead-up to the holiday (23%), leaving packed bags by the front door the night before (21%) and carrying luggage rather than wheeling it (15%), are all early warning signs that you may be heading towards Airport Dad behaviour. 

Clare Armstrong, Head of Guest Experience at London Luton Airport, comments: “It’s heartwarming to see that a quarter (24%) of holidaymakers acknowledge the pivotal role that dads play in organising family trips and managing airport logistics.

“We’re expecting another bumper weekend at London Luton Airport for Father’s Day weekend and we’re thrilled to offer some exclusive extras to travellers flying with their father figures this weekend as part of our commitment to providing a simple and friendly passenger experience. This will include fast-track security and complimentary passes to one of our executive lounges, all of which we hope will help their Airport Dads to relax ahead of their journeys.”  

With almost 170,000 passengers expected to travel through London Luton Airport over Father’s Day weekend, city break destinations including Amsterdam, Budapest, Barcelona, Paris and Prague are proving to be among the most popular destinations.

All is not lost for those holidaymakers whose dads insist on being at the airport hours earlier than needed, as LLA boasts over 40 shops and restaurants to choose from including Nolito, Yo!, Chopstix and Benito’s. 

There are also two elegant new lounges and an upgraded children’s play area - ensuring there’s something for everyone passing through the airport. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
The survey of 2,000 adults (18+) based in the UK who go on holiday and travel by plane and who are in contact with their mum or dad, was carried out by One Poll between 28th February - 4th March 2024. 

* Please note that only five family passes for the No1 Lounge and fast track security will be made available to passengers travelling with their dad over Father’s Day weekend 

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, carrying over 16.2 million passengers in 2023.

The airport is operated by a consortium, of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, and InfraBridge, a leading infrastructure investment manager. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

The Luton Airport Express is a new dedicated train service that allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. The Luton Airport Express runs from St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway station and connects seamlessly with the DART, an electrically powered people mover that connects to the airport terminal in less than four minutes.

In 2023, LLA was named the UK’s best airport by readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine. 

Last year, LLA became one of the first major UK airports to achieve Level 4 of the globally recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, demonstrating that it is ‘transforming its operations to achieve carbon reductions in line with global climate goals’. With a maximum score of 100 and a five-star rating, LLA has been ranked as a sector leader for two consecutive years in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) benchmark of sustainability governance management and performance of major infrastructure assets worldwide.

To learn about the progress London Luton Airport is making across its sustainability programme please click here 

Further information on London Luton Airport can be found here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/

Contact Details:

London Luton Airport Press Office 
T: 01582 395333
E: pressoffice@ltn.aero

London Luton Airport – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/14062024/lla-welcomes-airport-dads-for-fathers-day