Stansted Airport experienced its busiest November in eight years as passenger numbers increased by 26% to 1.59m, during the major £80m ($125.7m) transformation of the airport’s international departure lounge.

 

As reported, tenders for 13 brand new units and three pop-up locations under the £80m transformation of Stansted Airport’s international departure lounge were released to market in July earlier this year.

 

MAG anticipates that although some units may open in the summer of 2015, the majority of concessions will start operating in the autumn of next year. The £80m project, including a massive overhaul of the security and check-in facilities, will have taken just two years to complete.

 

The total number of passengers flying through the airport in the year rose to over 19.7 million, an increase of 11.2% over the previous 12 months and the highest rate of growth at any London airport.

 

According to Steve Foster, Head of Retail for the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), 80 brands, from high street and global airport retailers, have shown interest in the 16 new outlets up for tender at Stansted Airport (STN) – which MAG bought from Heathrow Airport Holdings (HAH) last year.

 

 

“We are not only talking to companies that have a high level of understanding of airport retail. We’re trying to encourage retailers/brands, which have never operated in airports before.”

 

“The big increase in the number of passengers using Stansted is the result of flight frequencies on many key routes across Europe not reducing as is often the case during the off-peak season,” says STN.

 

Andrew Harrison, Stansted’s Managing Director, said: “The significant increase in the number of passengers flying through Stansted reflects the growing confidence of our airline partners as many maintain summer flight frequencies and extend their peak flying schedules into the winter season.

 

“The very strong monthly performance and the double digit annual growth not only ensures Stansted remains the fastest growing airport in the London system but is also a clear demonstration that under MAG’s ownership, the airport is being successfully transformed so it can attract more passengers and airlines and play an increasingly vital role in providing important international air connectivity over the next two decades.”