The only airport actually in London, London City Airport is just two miles from the site of the 2012 Olympic Games; three miles from Canary Wharf and six miles from the City of London. Passengers travelling to and from the airport enjoy fast transfers on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) with a journey time of 22 minutes to Bank and 14 minutes to Poplar (connecting to Canary Wharf).
London City Airport experienced record growth in 2007 with over 2.9 million passengers travelling through the terminal. This figure represents a 23 per cent increase over 2006. Click here for more information on monthly/annual passenger numbers .
The airport’s location on the doorstep of London’s financial district is considered vital to business and plays an integral part in keeping up with the growth of the UK’s capital city. London City Airport receives considerable support from the business community who recognise the convenient location and ease of use with faster check-in times than any other London airport.
The airport recently made headlines across the globe as British Airways announced its first business-class only transatlantic service to New York on the Airbus A318. The new service will launch in 2009 and will be the first ever transatlantic scheduled flight from London City Airport. It is also the first time the new Airbus A318 will operate from the airport.
The future of London City Airport
In line with the increase in passenger numbers and new routes introduced by major airlines, London City Airport has invested some £30 million in constructing four new aircraft parking stands. The airport's departure lounge has also been reconfigured and expanded to allow these additional passengers to be accommodated. Both projects were completed in May 2008 with the new concept Bar Ten 28 opened in June 2008.
In August 2007 London City Airport submitted a planning application to London Borough of Newham seeking an increase in flight movements to 120,000. Approval was granted in October 2008. The increase, once implemented, will create an additional 1,000 jobs at the airport site up to the year 2010. London City Airport is already the largest private sector employment site in Newham with over 2,000 people, mostly from the local area, in full-time employment as a result of the airport. Further, following the Government's Aviation White Paper which requires airports to make maximum use of existing runways, London City Airport’s Master Plan sets out its growth and development plans to 2030.
Management and ownership
London City Airport Limited was purchased in October 2006 by a consortium comprising AIG Financial Products Corp (AIGFP) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).
- Non-Executive Chairman: Roy Griffins
- Chief Executive: Richard Gooding OBE
- Chief Finance Officer: David Thomson
- Chief Operating Officer: Scott Stanley
29 September 2008 – Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AIG-Financial Products’ (AIG-FP) 50% interest in London City Airport. The transaction is expected to close in October 2008.
This acquisition will bring GIP’s ownership interest in London City Airport to 100%.