Latest news with #LutonAirport
Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Times
How Luton airport drop-off costs more than the Ritz
A irport charges have gone up so much that drop-off parking at Luton is now more expensive per minute than a stay at the Ritz hotel. Seven of the ten busiest airports have put up drop-off prices since last year, either through increased fees or because airports have reduced the time that drivers can stay before higher fees apply. Luton's drop-off zone was destroyed in a fire in October 2023 and reopened last July, charging £5 for five minutes then £1 a minute up to a maximum of 20 minutes. Before the fire you paid £5 for ten minutes then £1 a minute after that. The £1 a minute cost of a ten-minute stop is the highest of the UK's ten busiest airports. By comparison, a deluxe king room at the Ritz five-star hotel in Mayfair, London, on Thursday, August 28, costs £1,149 a night — about 91p a minute if you stayed the full 21 hours.
The Herald Scotland
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
British woman stranded in Israel remains in dark about evacuation flights
In the days since, more Britons have made the journey home as part of the Government's evacuation strategy. It comes as Israeli airspace reopened on Monday after being closed for 10 days following the start of the conflict between Israel and Iran on June 13. British-Israeli Mali Smith, 66, said she has not heard from the Foreign Office since registering for the repatriation flights on Wednesday June 18, leading her to book a flight home to London for 600 US dollars (£439) as she 'can't bear the stress anymore'. Mrs Smith, a solicitor born in Tel Aviv but who now lives in Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, with her husband, had arrived in Israel on June 11 to see her mother and friends. The mother-of-two has twice booked flights to Luton Airport, one with Wizz Air and one with Israir, which were both cancelled. She said: 'After my flights were cancelled, the Foreign Office sent many of us an email saying that they were planning on sending an RAF plane to rescue us and take us back to the UK. 'But it's been days now and I'm still waiting for a response – even though we had to pay them £350 for the pleasure. 'They have been in touch with some Brits but many of us are still waiting and I don't understand why they are sending such a small aeroplane with only 63 seats, while there are thousands who have applied for the flights. 'I sent them emails and I called them, but they couldn't give me an answer – I have been in touch with my MP and she has tried hard to help some of us here, but we've had no success. 'It's nerve-wracking and it's really hard to sit around and wait for them to do something. 'Now the war has a ceasefire, so I don't know what's going to happen – they might cancel it all even before they have rescued us.' Mali Smith praised the help of people in the community she is staying with (Family handout/PA) Mrs Smith says that the lack of information about the flights has left those who remain in the country feeling stranded waiting for more support. She said she had also been told that British nationals have had phone calls from the Foreign Office as late as 3am in the morning, asking them to be at the airfield just six hours later at 9am, only for their flight to be delayed until 1pm. Mrs Smith said: 'The organisation of the evacuation has not been good enough. 'I'm in Tel Aviv, right next to the Iron Dome, and the noise is really loud and scary, and it means you can't sleep properly. 'The community has been great, they've been so supportive and there's a lot of warmth from everyone. 'But the UK Government has been so slow to respond and I'm just disappointed that it's taken them that long and that the communication is that bad. 'I don't know whether to book another flight and forget about the evacuation flight, and whether I can claim the money back. 'The situation has improved here with the ceasefire which seems like it's holding, but the Foreign Office needs to be so much better.' The FCDO has been contacted for comment.
ITV News
19-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Bedfordshire could generate extra £5bn a year for UK economy after Universal and Luton Airport plans
A building boom across one of the UK's fastest-growing counties is set to add up to five billion pounds a year to the UK economy, ITV News Anglia can reveal. Europe's newest theme park, an airport expansion and a raft of other investment projects promise to trigger a gold rush in Bedfordshire, with tens of thousands of new jobs created in construction, hospitality and associated industries. Figures compiled for ITV News by the Bedford Chamber of Commerce suggest that up to an additional £5bn a year will be generated by projects which include the redevelopment of Luton Hoo, a golf venue and hotel hoping to host the sport's Ryder Cup, upgrading of the key A421 route and building of the East-West rail link. Now locals and business leaders - including construction firms, pubs and farms - are working to make sure the "once-in-a-lifetime" benefits can be felt evenly across communities. ITV News Anglia is exploring and explaining how the investment could change the face of the county in a special programme being broadcast on Thursday, 19 June. A time of change in Bedfordshire Universal In April, Universal announced it would turn a sprawling 476-acre disused brickworks in Stewartby, near Bedford, into one of Europe's largest tourist attractions, set to open in 2031. Bosses hope the theme park - located six miles south of Bedford in the hamlet of Kempston Hardwick - will see more than 8.5 million visitors in its first year, and the project is estimated to be worth £50 billion to the UK economy over the course of 30 years. The construction is set to create 20,000 jobs, with over 5,000 workers needed on-site at the peak of the building work, and the resort and theme park is expected to create 8,000 new jobs in the hospitality and creative industries. NBCUniversal has said 80% of these jobs should go to people in Bedfordshire and the surrounding area. Back to top Luton Airport Less than a week before the Universal announcement, the government approved plans to expand Luton Airport in a move that could nearly double its annual capacity to 32 million passengers, with a new terminal and an extension to the current airfield platform. According to Luton Borough Council, the expansion could create up to 11,000 jobs nationally, with 6,000 of those in the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Back to top Vauxhall plant closure The announcement came less than a week after Vauxhall's van-making factory in Luton was closed by parent company Stellantis, putting up to 1,100 jobs at risk 120 years after the company first came to Luton. The last van rolled off the production line in March, with pictures from inside the plant showing emotional workers gathered round as the final vehicle was finished. Outside, people spoke of their sadness at the end of an era and the loss of a community which they described as "like a family". Back to top Transport upgrades In January, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced transport in the region would also see significant investment, with the East West Rail project planned to deliver new and upgraded lines between Oxford and Cambridge - including improvements to the existing line between Bedford and Bletchley. She also announced a new railway station at Tempsford, east of Bedford, to connect the East Coast Main Line and East West Rail, as well as an upgrade to the A428 to cut journey times between Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Back to top Businesses in the area are already keen to make the most of the opportunities presented by the investment boom. "The impact has to be right, the infrastructure has to be right to accommodate projects of this size," said Justin Richardson, from the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce. "But it's a once in a generation project that will bring a huge amount of benefits to Bedfordshire.' Daniel Coyle, chief executive of Ryebridge Construction, agreed that both the airport expansion and Universal theme park meant it was a good time to be a construction company in Bedfordshire. "It gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand as a business, but also to take on apprentices," he said. For Pete Pestell, head chef and landlord of a pub in Felmersham, it was an "exciting" chance to welcome new visitors drawn in by the Universal theme park. "The villagers will continue to support us and we'll continue to be their pub," he told ITV News Anglia. "But pubs are closing, and hospitality is in a mess around the UK, so this could help us to give something special and a bit of a golden ticket compared to some of the other counties." And it's not just pubs and restaurants but the land around the site which could be about to see the benefits. Laura Ibbet, who owns the Sun Inn & Wild Berry Farm which produces food for the pub, wants to create a glamping site for theme park tourists. "I think we've got a really unique area here in the Ouse Valley, on the farm particularly," she explained. "Beautiful lakes, grassland, wildflower meadows, and people coming over for Universal are looking for more than just a one-night stay. "They're looking for an experience and I think we can offer that here."
Irish Post
18-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
easyJet founder launches €500,000 business awards to promote cross-border entrepreneurship in Ireland
EASYJET founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou has launched an initiative designed to celebrate and support cross-border entrepreneurship and encourage start-ups on the island of Ireland. The North-South Business Cooperation Awards will see a total prize fund of €500,000 awarded to 18 entrepreneurs, across nine teams, who have started businesses registered in Ireland or Northern Ireland within the past five years and who are now trading cross-border. "These awards represent more than just recognition — they embody a commitment to building a better, more connected future on the island of Ireland," said Mr Haji-Ioannou. 'Lasting peace and economic prosperity' The awards were launched today by the Stelios Foundation at the Monaghan Peace Campus. Among those in attendance was Daniel Mulhall, former Irish Ambassador to Britain, the US, Germany and Malaysia, who championed the initiative as a brilliant economic opportunity for all communities. The awards will culminate on Thursday, October 30 this year with a high-profile ceremony at Castle Leslie Estate in Co. Monaghan. The symbolic location close to the border was chosen to honour the spirit of cross-community partnership. Mr Haji-Ioannou — who launched the first flight from Luton Airport to Belfast a few months after the Good Friday agreement in 1998 — will personally present the awards and meet the finalists. "When businesses from both sides of the border collaborate, they do more than drive economic growth; they build trust, create lasting jobs and strengthen the social and economic fabric of our communities," said Mr Haji-Ioannou. "We are working for lasting peace and economic prosperity on the island of Ireland. "Just as easyJet brought people together across Europe, these awards bring businesses together across the island of Ireland — empowering them to grow, hire and contribute to a stronger all-island economy." 'Timely and inspiring' The initiative is being partnered by the charity Co-operation Ireland. Ian Jeffers, the charity's Chief Executive, said the awards would have a lasting economic benefit for all communities. "Cross-border business partnerships can play a powerful role in promoting peace, prosperity and shared understanding," he said. "These awards recognise that co-operation is not just a shared ideal — it's a powerful driver of real economic progress. "Sir Stelios' commitment to backing ambitious entrepreneurs across the island is both timely and inspiring. "By supporting ventures that operate beyond traditional boundaries, we're helping to embed lasting economic ties that benefit communities North and South." Applications are now open for cross-border business entrepreneurs that meet the criteria, with full details and entry forms available for download by clicking here. Applications are to be submitted to [email protected] no later than 5pm Irish time on September 15, 2025. See More: Easyjet, Monaghan, Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Yahoo
Person fighting for life after being hit by train causing delays at London station
A person is fighting for their life after being hit by a train near Luton Airport, with major disruption to rail services for London. Emergency services were called to Luton Airport Parkway station around 10am today (June 16). Officers and paramedics rushed to the scene and a person was taken to hospital. Their injuries are considered to be 'life-threatening'. Thameslink and East Midlands Railway services to and from London are facing major disruption following the incident. Lines between London St Pancras International and Luton are blocked, with disruption expected until 3pm. This affects East Midlands Railway services between St Pancras and Corby, Nottingham and Sheffield. It affects Thameslink services between Brighton, East Grinstead, Three Bridges and Bedford, Sutton and St Albans, and also between Rainham and Luton. A British Transport Police spokesperson said: 'Officers were called to Luton Airport Parkway railway station at around 10am today (16 June) following reports of a casualty on the tracks. 'Paramedics also attended, and a person has been taken to hospital with injuries that are considered to be life-threatening.' If you've been affected by what happened on the network today, there is always someone to talk to. You can contact the Samaritans on 116 123 from any phone for a confidential chat.
