London Luton Airport appoints new Chair ahead of airport expansion

London Luton Airport (LLA) today announces the appointment of Lord John Hutton as Chair of the Board to oversee the next phase of the airport’s development. LLA is the UK’s fifth largest airport, operated by Aena - the world’s largest airport operator - and leading infrastructure investment manager, InfraBridge under a long-term concession. The airport is owned by Luton Rising, a Luton Council company established for community benefit.

Lord Hutton joins the Board at a pivotal time for Luton following the recent decision by the Transport Secretary to approve an increase in annual passenger capacity at the airport, from 19 million to 32 million passengers over the next 18 years.

Lord Hutton will play an essential role in securing and supporting the next phase of LLA’s successful public-private partnership between Luton Rising and LLA’s airport operator, Aena and InfraBridge, to ensure the significant benefits of expansion are realised as soon as possible.

Since 2013, significant investment made by LLA’s two shareholders has delivered the fastest growth period in the airport’s history, with annual passenger numbers rising from 10 million in 2013 to around 18 million today. Over this period, more than £0.5 billion has been paid in concession fee income to Luton Council, contributing to investment in local community causes – including frontline council services.

Lord Hutton served for 18 years as the Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness. His long political career included roles in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s Cabinets as Secretary of State for Defence, Secretary of State for Business, and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He led initiatives on pension reform, including as Chair of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, and multiple business and enterprise policies in order to boost UK competitiveness. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2010.

After leaving frontline politics, Lord Hutton chaired trade associations Make UK and Energy UK and is the Chair of the Association of Infrastructure Investors in Public Private Partnerships, an organisation established to represent PFI investors.

Commenting on his appointment, Lord Hutton said: “I am proud to become Chair of LLA – an asset of national importance and a prime example of the public-private partnership model working for the benefit of local communities and public and private shareholders. I look forward to working with the airport, Luton Rising, Luton Council, and our partners to chart the next phase of this partnership to realise the huge, shared ambition we have for Luton.”

Alberto Martin, CEO of LLA, said: “Lord Hutton is a great addition to the Board, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience for the exciting period ahead. I look forward to working together, in collaboration with Luton Rising, to make the expansion plans a reality as soon as possible and to continue delivering exceptional outcomes for passengers, partners, and the community.”

Rodrigo Marabini Ruiz, Director of International Subsidiaries at Aena, said: “Luton Airport has one of the most ambitious and economically impactful expansion plans and its benefits will be felt both locally and nationally. As the world’s largest operator with over 430 million passengers a year using our international airports, Aena stands ready to work with the Council to implement these plans now that the UK Government have firmly backed Luton Rising’s DCO. In this endeavour, we welcome Lord Hutton’s expertise and guidance to help make these plans a reality.”

Graeme Ferguson, Head of Airports at InfraBridge, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Lord Hutton to the Board of LLA. His deep experience across both government and the private sector will be invaluable as the airport enters its next phase of growth. We look forward to working closely with him – his background is a strong complement to our long-standing commitment to the UK, where we continue to invest significantly in national transport and digital infrastructure”.