London Stansted Airport has announced it will recruit hundreds of new staff and invest in new facilities and service improvements ahead of what is expected to be another record-breaking summer season.
The airport handled 8.4 million passengers between June and August 2018, with a peak of 100,000 passengers in one day. The airport is expecting even more passengers this year and the planned enhancements will aim to improve the passenger experience during the 2019 season.
Improvements include: recruiting up to 200 new security officers and customer service ambassadors; the opening of a new technology-led terminal control center, ‘The Hub’, which will help ensure a smooth flow of passengers through the airport and enhance the airport’s ability to respond swiftly to any operational issues; and the introduction of more seating into the departure lounge, including a dedicated family seating area offering colorful children-friendly bench seating for groups traveling with younger children.
The airport will also construct a new ‘quiet area’ space for passengers who wish to relax away from the main departure lounge, add new water fountains across the terminal and satellite buildings to encourage use of reusable bottles. Additional in-terminal charging points for electronic devices will be installed.
The terminal cleaning staff will be increased to 100 and upgrades will be made to wayfinding and help points, including a new information desk airside.
The airport will also open a 2,700 space multistory car parking area with additional blue badge spaces. There will be an increase in the price of the Express Set Down area to ensure its continued smooth running, to reduce further instances of ‘kiss and fly’, and to further encourage sustainable transportation choices to and from the airport.
A brand-new fleet of 30+ buses serving airport car parks and airside will be introduced, reducing journey times and introducing real-time information for passengers for the first time.
The airport will also increase seating capacity in popular restaurants, including 200 new seats in The Windmill and 100 added to Burger King, and new and upgraded toilet facilities will be opened.
London Stansted’s chief operating officer, Steve Griffiths, said, “We are fast approaching our busiest time of year and another very exciting summer season, with over 200 destinations on offer from London Stansted and up to 100,000 passengers regularly using the airport on any one day.
“A priority for us is to ensure that all of our passengers have a great airport experience as they head off on their holidays. We’ve been working very closely with our operational teams and airport partners to develop our plans for the summer, carry out essential maintenance work, and ensure our teams are where they need to be to keep the airport operating smoothly.
“These are just some of the steps we are taking now to deliver the best airport experience at Stansted this summer but, as part of our longer-term vision for transforming the airport, we continue at pace with our larger multimillion-pound investment program that will deliver a very different look and feel for users of the airport.”