Left: London Mayor Sadiq Khan during his visit to London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport pledged on July 15 to invest an additional £200m (US$270m) in revitalizing the airport, including the expansion of the North Terminal and South Terminal departure lounges, and upgrading shopping facilities. Additional projects include expanding the immigration halls in both terminals and creating additional aircraft parking stands.
The improvement works will form part of London Gatwick’s five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP), and will bring the total amount to be spent on transforming the airport up to £1.2bn (US$1.6bn).
London Gatwick made the announcement during a visit by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who also underlined his support for the construction of a second runway at the airport.
Khan said, “Gatwick is the front door to London for millions of visitors to our city and I salute their decision to spend another £200m (US$270m) on improvements to the airport. They have put together a formidable plan that is a fantastic display of their confidence in London.
“The new Prime Minister has a very important decision to make regarding new airport capacity, and I urge her to rule as swiftly as possible in favor of a second runway at Gatwick, which would bring substantial economic benefits.”
Stewart Wingate, CEO, Gatwick Airport, said, “As Gatwick rapidly approaches full capacity, this increased investment paves the way for our second runway project. As we enter a new era for Britain, we must be agile and decisive as a country to show the world that we are open for business.
“It is now clear that only Gatwick can deliver the runway Britain needs to boost international competitiveness and trading links at a time when it is most needed, and we can do that before 2025.
“This investment will also make sure that we can continue Gatwick’s record growth and transformation. Our total investment since coming into private ownership now stands at £2.5bn (US$3.3bn) as we operate the world’s most efficient single runway airport.”
