London Luton Airport (LLA) recently hosted over 50 local businesses looking to explore opportunities to work with the airport. 

Reinforcing LLA’s commitment to stimulating the local economy, the networking event* took place at the airport’s newly opened Excellence Academy and provided local suppliers and business groups with insight into the airport’s tendering opportunities and procedures. 

Last year, LLA invested £110 million to more than 300 businesses within a 25-mile radius of the airport, amounting to 60% of its total supply chain spend. 

Alberto Martin, Chief Executive Officer of London Luton Airport, said: “This networking event provided a valuable opportunity to forge connections with local businesses and to highlight the many opportunities that will come with London Luton Airport’s plans for future growth. As a key economic driver in Bedfordshire, LLA supports 28,000 jobs and contributes £830 million per year to Luton’s economy, and our commitment to driving local procurement means we are now working with more local suppliers than ever before. In 2024 alone, over 320 local businesses provided works, goods and services to the airport, a year-on-year increase of more than 70 companies joining our approved supplier list.”

The operator of LLA recently pledged its support of the Luton Anchors’ Framework which brings together the collective influence of local ‘anchor institutions’ to drive and support the town-wide Luton 2040 vision of a healthy, fair, and sustainable town where everyone can thrive.**  

Signing up to the Framework reinforces the airport’s continued focus to deliver lasting and meaningful social value, creating new employment opportunities, stimulating the local economy and contributing to the success and wellbeing of local people.

-Ends-

Notes for editors

* Ticket proceeds from the event raised £3,500 for LLA’s two charity partners, the National Literacy Trust and Tokko Youth Hub.

** Luton Council’s Luton 2040 vision was developed in response to Luton’s independent Inclusive Growth Commission, which released its final report in 2019. This report outlined the 12 ambitions for the town based on the unique opportunities and most pressing challenges. In particular, the report identified overcoming poverty and inequality as a central mission that could enable everyone in Luton to thrive sector and key sectors within our economy such as manufacturing, digital and green industries.

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/21072025/lla-hosts-supplier-event-to-back-local-businesses