Thursday 25th June 2015
Gatwick’s record growth lays foundation for expansion
Gatwick Airport Ltd results for the full year ending 31st March 2015
Gatwick Airport announces exceptional growth with annual results demonstrating
once again why the airport is the best and only deliverable choice for the UK’s next
runway.
CEO Stewart Wingate said today’s results show why momentum and support has
grown rapidly for Gatwick where a new runway can be delivered quicker, cheaper,
more simply and at a fraction of the overwhelming environmental costs that face
Heathrow.
Unprecedented growth
 Turnover up 7.5% to £638million. Combined with carefully controlled cost
management, this resulted in EBITDA up 13.2% to £293.7 million and a profit
before tax of £83.8million
 Gatwick has seen the busiest year in the airport’s history with 38.7 million
passengers, an increase of 7.8% or 2.8 million passengers
 The year included one day of 906 air traffic movements in August– a world
record for a single-runway airport, achieved by increased operational efficiency
 Gatwick’s growth is a combination of more planes, bigger planes and fuller
planes – average load factors have increased to 83.9%
New airlines and routes
 Growth across a broad range of travel markets with long-haul traffic, European
business routes and emerging markets combining to fuel a record-breaking year
 Several airlines have increased frequencies on European routes and introduced
new destinations, underlining that Europe will continue to be the most
dominant market for London airports
 A series of new European business routes have been added including
Strasbourg, Brussels and Paris with Gatwick now serving 46 of the top 50 EU
business destinations and 1 in 5 passengers now travelling on business
 Norwegian’s ground-breaking new low cost services to USA have been a
catalyst for long haul growth, contributing to a 13.3% increase on USA routes
 New and existing routes to emerging markets have also fed into overall longhaul growth including Turkey, Russia and Indonesia along with long haul
growth to the Middle East with increased capacity on Dubai routes and new
services to Israel
Investment
 Lighter regulation endorsed by the CAA is now in place using Gatwick’s industryleading ‘Commitments and Contracts’ framework – this has allowed Gatwick to
enter into commercial bilateral agreements with all of its major airlines
 Gatwick’s £1 billion investment programme continues with £180.7 million
pounds invested over the last 12 months including development of Pier 1 and
Pier 5
 Major improvements to North and South Terminal departure lounges and retail
facilities have contributed to a 10.4% increase in retail income with retail
income per passenger rising to £3.81
Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport, said:
“As a recommendation draws near from the Airports Commission on where the UK’s
next runway should be built, our record growth has shown why Gatwick remains the
best choice. Gatwick expansion will deliver more passengers to more destinations
and provide the economic boost the UK needs at a fraction of the environmental
impact of Heathrow.
“Our results are the latest illustration of the momentum gathering behind Gatwick’s
case. We have seen a great response from our passengers to new Norwegian long
haul services to the USA which has resulted in impressive growth for these new
routes. The choice and value offered to our passengers is set to further increase next
year as we add low cost long haul travel to Canada with Westjet.
“The time is right for a decision on expansion. Gatwick is fast approaching capacity
with almost 40 million passengers travelling with us this year, which puts us a decade
ahead of Department of Transport predictions.
“Our plan requires no taxpayer funding, can be delivered quickly, and would enhance
competition - the UK will benefit from a strong network of competing airports which
will keep fares low while boosting service and innovation.”
ENDS
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient singlerunway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for
over 38 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is
also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 21,000
on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28
miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick
Express. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of
which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
In its December 2013 interim report, the Airports Commission included London
Gatwick and Heathrow on its shortlist of potential locations for a new runway in the
UK. Expansion at Gatwick will best meet the UK’s aviation needs for the future, can
provide the greatest economic boost with the least environmental impact, and a new
runway can be operational by 2025. For further information, see:
Media enquiries to
GATWICK AIRPORT PRESS OFFICE
+ 44 (0) 1293 505000
gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
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