Business leaders who gathered to mark East Midlands Airport’s 60th anniversary on Monday 21 July heard how it is consolidating its position as the region’s single largest economic asset.
The event at the East Midlands Airport Hilton Hotel provided an opportunity to look back at the success of the airport over the last six decades and hear about its plans for growth and improvement. The airport has grown from almost 115,000 passengers and 358 tonnes of cargo to 4 million passengers and 370,000 tonnes over the last six decades.
Guests from the local business community heard how the airport has seen a 25% increase in cargo volumes last month compared with last year, handling almost 33,000 tonnes this June compared to 26,400 last year. So far this year, the operation has handled 97,000 tonnes, which is 10,000 tonnes more than last year. And Sunday 20 July saw the busiest day of the summer, with 18,500 people travelling through the airport.
The airport’s Managing Director, Steve Griffiths, said in his speech at the event that the airport has successfully attracted new cargo operators recently, including Atlas Air, Ethiopian Cargo, Saudia Cargo and Central Airlines on behalf of YunExpress – becoming the first China-based operators at East Midlands. They join One Air, which moved its base from Heathrow to EMA last year and has grown its fleet of 747s to three, with a 777 expected to be added soon. The airport is also increasing stand capacity for wide-bodied cargo aircraft. Reconfiguring the layout of its cargo aprons has also grown the airport’s capacity for wide-bodied cargo aircraft to seven stands.
Mr Griffiths also outlined the airport’s long-term cargo growth plans, which identify four airfield plots totalling 50 hectares for potential development. This aims to meet a forecast demand increase of 54% by 2043. A report says that EMA’s unique combination of strengths makes it perfectly placed to support increased demand for air freight in the years ahead. It concludes that air cargo growth at EMA will support between £687 million and £1.8 billion in additional GVA and between 2,700 and 12,600 extra jobs by 2030.
He also explained how the airport is actively working towards growing its passenger operation to better meet the needs of the people in the region. There is £120 million of investment underway, including the expansion and transformation of the security hall, among many other changes. It is also increasing its passenger aircraft capacity and reaching prospective new airlines with a redesigned pitch that paints a far more compelling picture of why airlines should serve the airport.
A plaque was unveiled on Monday 21 July in the security hall to mark the completion of the improvement work by Terry Dyer, the son of East Midlands’ first Airport Director, Eric Dyer, who oversaw the project to build and operate the airport. This echoed the Duke of Edinburgh unveiling a plaque on the same date in 1965 to declare the airport officially open.
Mr Dyer was also guest speaker at the business reception, where he explained how his father, who he described as ‘an extremely proactive and visionary man,’ took on the challenge and turned a derelict RAF airfield into the UK’s eighth-largest civil airport when he retired 22 years later. Other speakers at the event were local MP Amanda Hack and representatives from BAM, who carried out the security hall improvements.
The site for East Midlands Airport was chosen by local councils, who bought it for £37,500 in 1963 and spent £1.37 million developing it. Its proximity to the yet-to-be-built M1 motorway gave the airport a strategic edge which continues to benefit both the passenger and cargo sides of its business today.
East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director, Steve Griffiths, said: “Since it opened, the airport has played a significant role in the economic life of the East Midlands, providing an important gateway to the world for an estimated 130 million people and countless items over the last 60 years.
“On the day of our official opening, it was fitting that we reflected on our success so far in growing to become the single largest economic asset in the region, and looked ahead to a bright future with plans to grow both sides of our business. I’m confident that East Midlands Airport can continue to provide effortless travel and power seamless trade 60 years from now.”
