Wednesday, 29th January 2025: Approval for sustainable growth at London Luton Airport would be a tipping point for the future of the local and national economies 

•    Expansion of London Luton Airport would provide up to 11,000 new jobs. 
•    The plans would generate an additional £1.5 billion in the economy each year, increase consumer choice and improve transport links across the UK. 
•    It would also lead to additional funds for Luton Council to invest in public service and local communities. 

London Luton Airport Operations Limited (“LLAOL”), the concession owned and operated by Aena and InfraBridge to manage London Luton Airport (LLA), today welcomed the Chancellor’s growth speech and support for sustainable airport growth in the UK. 

Luton Council’s airport company, Luton Rising, has submitted a Development Consent Order (DCO) which, if approved, would increase LLA’s annual capacity from 19 million to 32 million passengers over the next two decades. A prompt decision on Luton’s expansion plans will unlock £1.5 billion more in economic growth every year. 

Since 2013, LLA has generated more than £500 million in concession fees for Luton Council which has been used to fund frontline public services and support local community groups through charitable giving. 

LLA’s growth plans balance the significant economic growth opportunity for the UK with some of the most robust, far-reaching and comprehensive commitments to sustainability ever introduced at a UK airport, including a legally binding framework with limits on noise, carbon emissions, air quality and surface access impacts under a ‘Green Controlled Growth’ strategy. 

If approved, the plans would support a further 11,000 new jobs and increase the airport’s significant contribution to local and national economic growth. It would also improve transport links across the UK, increase consumer choice, and drive more competition between airlines. 

Following a period of significant investment by LLAOL’s shareholders, Aena and InfraBridge, annual passenger numbers at LLA have grown by 50% in the last decade, from 11 million in 2014 to 17 million today – the fastest period of growth in the airport’s history. 

The extension of this successful public-private partnership between Luton Rising and LLAOL, beyond the current concession end date of 2032, will be essential to deliver what will be one of the largest construction programmes for the town and the wider region in recent years. 

Alberto Martin, Chief Executive Officer, London Luton Airport said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s growth speech today and now call on the Secretary of State for Transport to formalise the government’s approval of Luton’s expansion plans. Every passenger at the airport allows the local authority to invest 53p directly into local frontline services and community causes – consistently 20 times more than any other UK airport. Luton is now at a tipping point with a generational opportunity to boost investment in public services further, which the airport’s growth will deliver. We are now focused on finalising our longer-term partnership with the council to make this expansion, the government’s growth policy, and Luton’s local ambition for sustainable economic growth a reality.” 

Rodrigo Marabini Ruiz, Director of International Subsidiaries at Aena said: “The airport contributes a  significant proportion of Luton Council’s budget each year, and we are proud to operate one of the UK’s most community-driven infrastructure assets that is focused on making a positive impact for that purpose. Increasing the airport’s capacity by over 70% sustainably will require an investment and operating partner with specialist skills and expertise, and as the world’s largest airport operators, we are ready to support Luton’s next chapter.”

Graeme Ferguson, Head of Airports at InfraBridge said: “We are proud that our leading public-private partnership with Luton Council has driven exceptional outcomes for Luton and all users of LLA, including our airline partners who will benefit from enhanced efficiency and increased capacity under these expansion plans. InfraBridge and Aena are committed to building on our success, providing the expertise and capital required to deliver new infrastructure and achieve an ambitious passenger target that closely aligns with the government’s growth mission.” 
 

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. In 2024, LLA was named ACI’s Best European Airport. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Jet2 (flights begin from April 2025) Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al. 

About Luton Rising 

Luton Rising is a local economic development company, which is by design focused on social purpose, and whose assets include London Luton Airport, the Luton DART, training and business centre Morton House, and Green Horizons Science & Innovation Park. As a direct result of Luton Council being its sole shareholder, it supports vital local frontline services while delivering considerable social impact through the strategic application of its charitable donations to charities and community organisations in and around Luton. 

About Aena

Aena S.M.E., S.A., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation, maintenance, management, and administration of more than 80 airports and heliports in Spain, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Colombia, handling more than 439 million passengers in 2024. The company operates through Airports, Real Estate Services, International, segments. It also manages commercial spaces in airport terminals and a network of parking lots; and leases areas in airport terminals for duty-free shops, specialty shops, food and beverage establishments, commercial operations, and advertising, as well as financial services, luggage wrapping machines, other vending machines, and regulated services. In addition, the company leases 
office buildings, warehouses, hangars, and cargo storage facilities to airlines, air cargo operators, 
handling agents, and other airport service providers.

About Infrabridge 

InfraBridge is a diversified middle-market infrastructure manager focused on digital infrastructure, transport, logistics, and energy transition. InfraBridge is a division of DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG), a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to digital infrastructure, managing $88 billion of infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. InfraBridge is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. For more information, visit: www.infrabridge.com

Contact Details:

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

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/29012025/lla-responds-to-chancellors-growth-speech