05 Jun Stobart Group to invest tens of millions in post-COVID-19 passenger experience at Southend Airport
London Southend Airport owner Stobart Group has announced it has successfully raised £140m and will now invest tens of millions over the coming years to put in place an enhanced passenger experience to deliver customer confidence in a post-COVID world.
The Airport has already been named one of the safest in the UK and the only airport in London that is on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) list, meaning its passengers will find an easier experience travelling to countries such as Greece.
The enhanced passenger experience will be focused on maintaining a constant flow of passengers and avoiding bottlenecks and human touchpoints. Last year, Which? announced London Southend Airport has the joint fastest security queues with passengers waiting on average for 5 minutes or less. That security experience is expected to get even better following an investment in next generation security scanning equipment that means passengers will not be expected to take electronic devices or liquids out of their bags.
London Southend Airport also plans to ensure passengers can enjoy plenty of personal space and estimates that departing passengers benefit from an average of over 17 square metres of space each. The airport is restricting access to the terminal to passengers only. It is also ensuring all staff and passengers wear face masks. It is providing over 100 hand sanitising stations along the passenger journey. All key contact points, from check in to immigration checks, are protected by bio-shields and a Grab-App allows passengers to pre-order retail items and collect them at the airport.
Commenting on the successful capital raise, London Southend Airport CEO Glyn Jones said, “We were already delivering an award-winning passenger experience and have been voted Which? best London airport for the last five years. This capital raise allows Stobart Group to invest further in our airport and we are actively exploring new opportunities to make the airport even easier and more spacious to use, ensuring passengers can be confident when travelling with us.”
Warwick Brady, CEO of Stobart Group said, “At London Southend Airport we will specifically design and implement an improved passenger experience for post-COVID 19 travel, making use of significant unutilised space and technology to enhance passenger confidence, while providing a cost-efficient base of operation to airlines.”
