London Southend Airport helps shape burgeoning Japanese airport industry

As George Osborne and Boris Johnson continue their tour of China promoting trade and industry links with the UK – back home a Japanese delegation has been visiting London Southend Airport in a bid to understand how to successfully operate a commercial airport.

The team from the Nomura Research Institute – Japan’s leading think-tank and systems integrator – today visited the Which? ‘Best Airport in Britain’ (16 October 2013).

They are in the UK on behalf of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) as a result of the recently enacted law in Japan that enables the privatisation of the country’s state-owned airports.

It was felt that the UK experience would be most valuable in informing decisions around future operators. Therefore they contacted London’s newest airport to see if it would share the best practise that has seen it win a number of accolades, including beating all other UK airports to the ‘Best in the UK’ Which? award.

Over £120 million of private sector investment has been made in London Southend Airport by owners the Stobart Group since it was acquired in 2008. New facilities include a train station on the London Liverpool Street, an Air Traffic Control Tower, terminal building, runway extension, 4-star Holiday Inn and radar. To support the airport’s rapid growth, work on a £10 million extension to the terminal is now underway.

L to R, Stobartair Chief Executive Roger Clements, NRI’s Shingo Mochimaru & LSA Operations Director David Lister.

London Southend Airport Operations Director David Lister said “London Southend Airport is a perfect example of private sector investment working in partnership with Government to create a transport infrastructure that includes not just planes but also connectivity with trains. Because of this unique ‘simply easier’ philosophy in all we do, London Southend Airport has quickly become the airport of choice for people across Essex, London and beyond. Therefore we were very pleased to welcome the group from the Nomura Research Institute and share our experiences and ideas with them.”

Shingo Mochimaru from the Nomura Research Institute said “It has been incredibly instructive for us to hear all about how a private and public partnership can work so successfully, and I know that the story of London Southend Airport will give a great deal of confidence and encouragement to our authorities back home in Japan as they embark on their ambitious development.”