The operator of London Luton Airport (LLA) has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting that a record number of 14,000 directly-linked jobs are now sustained in and around the airport.

The report charts LLA’s progress and key ongoing initiatives in driving positive social impacts across local communities and limiting key environmental impacts including climate change and noise.

Emphasising the airport’s important role as a key driver for the local economy, the report also highlights that last year 60% of LLA’s supply chain spend was directed to over 320 local businesses within a 25-mile radius, totalling £110 million. 

Alberto Martin, Chief Executive Officer at London Luton Airport, commented: “As one of the UK’s busiest airports, London Luton Airport is ideally positioned to drive economic growth, support local communities and create meaningful and enduring opportunities for local people. Our partnership with the airport owner, Luton Rising, is a shining example of the public-private ownership model, with each passenger helping Luton Rising provide industry-leading community investment which has exceeded £500 million. Now, with the owner’s scheme for long-term sustainable growth consented by the Government, there are even greater opportunities ahead for the airport, including the creation of up to 11,000 new jobs and an additional £1.5 billion in annual economic benefits by the mid-2040s.”

Key highlights of the LLA Sustainability Report include: 

Environmental Sustainability
•    Leading the way across Europe in the adoption of the cleanest, quietest 'next generation' aircraft (totalling 60% of aircraft based at LLA)
•    Reducing airport carbon emissions by 27% since 2019
•    Recycling 82% of waste
•    A multi-million-pound investment in low-carbon, sustainable operational vehicles and car park transfer buses
•    Achieving Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation, demonstrating that it is ‘transforming its operations to achieve carbon reductions in line with global climate goals’

Social Sustainability
•    60% of supply chain spend within a 25-mile radius, with LLA’s economic contribution totalling £830 million 
•    Over £180,000 donated to LLA’s Community Trust Fund and Greener Future Fund, benefitting over 19,000 people 
•    Recruiting over 50% of new LLA employees from a LU1-LU7 postcode in 2024
•    Raising over £300,000 over four years for two charity partners

David Vazquez, Head of Sustainability at London Luton Airport, said: “As a major airport in the UK, London Luton Airport recognises the responsibility to support our neighbours and local communities in socially impactful ways, including the decarbonisation of our operations and our encouragement to all airport partners to do the same. The airport’s approach to responsible growth is guided by core principles of collaboration, transparency and innovation and a commitment to making our sustainability principles a core part of our organisational culture.”

Nick Platts, Managing Director of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns London Luton Airport for community benefit, said: “It’s vital that our successful partnership with the operator takes an approach to sustainability that goes beyond environmental considerations, so it’s great to see the ongoing achievements already being delivered year-on-year. For us, as the owner, what matters most is the ability to continue growing a successful airport eco-system for Luton and the region, with economic and employment growth generating industry-leading support for community services and vulnerable people.

“Our consented scheme for the airport’s future growth to a new capacity of 32 million passengers per year includes unique commitments to limiting environmental impacts and further increasing the provision we make to supporting people’s lives in the decades ahead.”

To access the full 2024 Sustainability Report, please click here. 

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

Current and previous reports can be accessed here.

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, carrying over 16.7 million passengers in 2024. 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 airport is owned for community benefit by Luton Rising, a company wholly-owned by Luton Council, which has invested more than £500m in front-line, voluntary and charitable services since 1998.

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 2024, LLA was named European Airport of the Year (10-25 million passengers) by ACI EUROPE, and in 2025 LLA received the highest possible rating of 'Very Good' in the annual Airport Accessibility report published by the CAA, assessing assisted travel service performance.

Last year, LLA also became only the third major UK airport 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.

LLA continues to be major employer and a key economic driver in Bedfordshire — supporting 28,000 jobs and contributing £830 million per year to the local economy. In 2024, LLA spent 60% of its supply chain costs with more than 300 businesses within a 25-mile radius of the airport, totalling £110 million.

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 – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com

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

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/15072025/new-report-highlights-lla-jobs-at-a-record-high