| Luton Airport Parking - Airport History
Please find below a brief history of Luton Airport
which we hope that you will find useful. If you wish to make
a booking then please click on the appropriate link on your
left. Alternativly you can call our office, where one of our
helpful staff will only be happy to help.
London Luton Airport is one of the UK's fastest growing airports.
London Luton Airport was officially opened on 16 July 1938,
by the Right Honourable Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State
for Air. It was owned by the Borough of Luton .
Number of terminals: 1
Number of passengers: Over 7 Million
Number of destinations: Approximately 63
Number of runways: 1
During world war two, the airport became a base for 264
Fighter Squadron, it was also an important manufacturing site
where a series of aircraft for both civilian and military
use were being built by the Percival Aircraft Company.
After the war the airport resumed its service and development
for civilian use and by 1952 had opened a new control tower.
In the 1950's and 1960's holidays became more affordable
and combining this with transport and accommodation arrangements
we saw the birth of The 'package holiday'. This allowed many
people to travel abroad for the first time and laid the foundations
of the immensely successful inclusive tour holiday market.
London Luton became recognised as an integral part of the
London airport system in 1978 on the publication of a Government
White Paper. Preparations were started by the airport's committee
to take London Luton Airport into the 1990s with the ability
to receive five million passengers per annum. Part of the
development plan was for a new international terminal building,
this was completed and opened in 1985 by HRH The Prince of
Wales.
There were numerous alterations and upgradings made between
1992 and 1996. These included a new air traffic control tower,
the extension and refurbishment of the passenger terminal,
a new cargo centre, a new access road, extension to the car
parking facilities and the installation of Category 3 Instrument
Landing System.
By 1998/9 the number of passengers had increased to 4.4
million and London Luton Airport had become the UK's fastest
growing major airport according to Civil Aviation Authority
statistics. If the Airport was to expand any further, additional
financial investment had to be secured. This came about in
August 1998 with the signing of a unique private-public partnership.
As a result of the new financial backing, an £80 million development
programme was put in place.
In the subsiquent years further changes have taken place
at London Luton Airport to accommodate the ever increasing
demands placed on it. One of these changes was the construction
and opening in Summer 2000 of the airports first ever chapel.
The chapel seats 30 people and can be used by people of all
faiths as a quiet place for personal reflection.
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