A ground-breaking ceremony has taken place at Luton Airport to mark the start of a £110 million re-development that will increase its capacity from 12.6 million to 18 million passengers a year.
Work on the UK’s sixth-busiest airport will see a complete re-design of its terminal, a £1 million executive lounge and a new multi-storey car park.
It is hoped that the expansion — due to be completed by 2020 — will add an extra £1 billion to the economy, create 10,000 jobs and relieve some of the pressure on Heathrow and Gatwick.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin MP said: “The transformation of Luton Airport is adding to the UK’s reputation for world-class aviation infrastructure. Not only will its development help to meet demand for aviation, but it will also create thousands of jobs.”