Gatwick sees strong start to 2024
Image courtesy Gatwick Airport
Revenue at £488 million, was up 15.3% compared to 2023, including £239 million aeronautical income and £249 million from non-aeronautical sources, such as retail and parking.
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive Officer, London Gatwick, said: “With the growing demand for travel, we are experiencing one of our busiest summers yet. Thanks to robust planning and close collaboration with our partners we’ve had a strong start to 2024, ensuring a reliable and enjoyable experience for our passengers.
“I am delighted that we have once again achieved good service levels, as evidenced by meeting 100% of our service measures. At the same time, through our Northern Runway Project, we are demonstrating our commitment to growing sustainably, in line with our Decade of Change sustainability strategy and government policy.
“Our teams have worked incredibly hard to achieve these results. As we continue to grow our network and offer more choice for passengers, we are working towards our vision to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey.”
Peak holiday times are continuing to attract more people to travel, representing a 90% recovery on 2019 levels. A focus on developing new long-haul routes across the Middle East, Asia and North America is attracting a wider range of passengers and continues to build on the airport’s vision to be the airport for everyone. Recent new services include the June introduction of Singapore Airlines flights from London Gatwick plus new routes by flag carriers to key cities across China and India.
Sustainable growth
Longer term, the examination phase for London Gatwick’s planning application (Development Consent Order) to bring its existing Northern Runway into routine use ended last month. If successful, the Northern Runway could be in routine use by the end of the decade. The plans are privately funded and work is largely contained within the airport boundary. Gatwick says it will deliver increased resilience and capacity for passengers, in line with the Department for Transport's policy, while generating around 14,000 new jobs and £1 billion for the economy every year.
The airport recently announced the London Gatwick Hydrogen Hub - a partnership with Airbus, easyJet and Air Products - as a significant first step towards achieving zero-carbon flights. This builds on London Gatwick’s existing commitment to be net zero for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 and other initiatives announced earlier in the year, such as the opening of GRIDSERVE electric vehicle charging forecourt and swapping diesel for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in airport vehicles, which will save more than 950 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched a consultation with airlines earlier this month, on London Gatwick’s proposal to extend the Commitments Framework until 31st March 2029. With a decision expected to be reached by the end of 2024, the extension will deliver significant benefits to passengers and airlines while encouraging long term investment in sustainable growth, all under a lower price ceiling.
