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Background Information
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) is one of the UK's longest established operational Airports having been officially opened on 1st July 1933.
JLA is situated seven miles South East of Liverpool City Centre and adjacent to the River Mersey.
In June 2010, Vantage Airport Group (formerly Vancouver Airport Services) acquired a 65 percent majority share from The Peel Group, which includes JLA. The Peel Group retained a 35 percent share. The Peel Group had acquired a 76 percent majority shareholding in 1997 from British Aerospace and the remaining 24% shareholding in May 2001.
JLA is one of the UK's top 10 busiest airports and handled over 4.5 million passengers in 2012. Passenger numbers have increased ten-fold since the mid-1990's, with the Airport moving from 20th to 10th busiest airport in the UK with flights to approximately 60 destinations in the UK and across Europe.
The Airport has been at the forefront of low cost air travel since the mid 1990's, when this growth sector of the airline industry started to develop. Airlines at JLA include two of Europe's largest low cost airlines, easyJet and Ryanair, both of whom have large bases at JLA, offering a comprehensive network of point to point services. More recently, Wizz Air, the largest low-cost, low-fare airline in Central and Eastern Europe have developed their business from Liverpool and recently signed a further five year agreement. This has since been followed by Norwegian, Europe's third largest low cost airline, commencing a three times weekly service to Copenhagen from Liverpool in April 2013.
Significant recent investments in the past 10 years include £130 million in a range of infrastructure works including a new and subsequently expanded terminal building, air traffic control centre, hangars, apron extensions, runway refurbishing and upgrading, multi-storey car park and on site hotel. Many of these projects have also received support through the European Objective One programme and other regional funding. The new terminal was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 2002.
A £12 million development programme has recently been completed providing a new larger passenger security screening area and an expanded departure lounge, including the addition of a number of new and exciting retailers.
This on-going investment in Airport facilities to provide an efficient operation and high levels of customer service has helped to firmly establish the Airport not only as a gateway to the North West but also as one of the primary airports in the UK. The Airport is now one of Merseyside's major employers, attracting inward investment and bringing significant tourism benefits, helping to boost North West England's economy.
In recent years, the importance and success of the Airport has been recognised both locally and within the travel industry, including receiving the accolade 'UK Airport of the Year' in 2007 from one of the industry's leading trade media.
Liverpool was the UK's first airport to be named after an individual when it was rebranded in 2001 as a lasting tribute to the Liverpool born, former Beatle, John Lennon.
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