Latest news with #StephanieWear
Edinburgh Reporter
24-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Staff turnaround at Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport has appointed a new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) from one of the other VINCI owned airports, London Gatwick. At the same time as Stephanie Wear flies up from London, the current CCO, Gail Taylor will be boarding a plane to Sydney to become Commercial Project Director at Sydney Airport. Stephanie will be taking up a 'harmonised' role as the airport announces that it will be bringing together the Aviation and XAero sides in a return to the Covid structure. Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport talked about both moves and said: 'We are delighted to be welcoming Stephanie to Scotland's busiest airport, where she will play a key role in our future growth as we deliver more connectivity to and from Scotland. 'Stephanie has a wealth of experience in senior positions both at home and abroad, and her commercial insight will continue to drive us on as we go forward. Her aviation background will be critical as we look to expand Edinburgh Airport's presence in new and existing markets, and she has some exciting ideas about our XAero function and how it can be further developed. 'Gail's decision is bittersweet for us at Edinburgh Airport, as she has been such an integral part of our success and a driving force behind our retail and commercial outlook, but I am excited at the prospect of this new challenge which awaits her and her family. 'Again, Gail is joining an airport she will already feel she knows and understands given her experience of working with GIP while at Edinburgh. Her track record of success is something she will take with her, and we wish her all the very best in her new role. 'Our recovery from the pandemic was so important that we decided to sperate the CCO role to allow our teams to fully focus on their areas and build a strong case for the airport's aviation and retail opportunities. That has delivered for us following another record year and being one of the UK's first airports to return to growth. 'Now is the perfect opportunity to harmonise that role and return to the pre-Covid structure that we had. This allows Stephanie the opportunity to provide a strategic overview of that side of the business, knowing she has strong teams and heads of department across all the commercial and digital disciplines with a track record of success.' Stephanie Wear said: 'I am very honoured to be joining Edinburgh Airport as Chief Commercial Officer, and I am looking forward to working with the talented teams at EDI to help drive the next chapter of ambitious, innovative growth. 'I will work to help build on the outstanding successes achieved to help grow passenger numbers, attract new airlines, deliver an exceptional passenger experience, strengthen our commercial strategy, and continue building an airport that is not only a vital transport hub, but a world-class destination in its own right. 'Aviation has always been about connection, and I'm excited to help shape the future of Scotland's busiest airport that connects people, places, and possibilities every single day.' Gail Taylor said: 'I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over the last 13 years. It's been a privilege leading the XAero team and I am very proud of what we've delivered together, developing one of the most effective and efficient commercial estates in the UK and supporting the airports growth aspirations. 'There are too many projects to mentioned individually, however I am especially proud of the recovery from Covid, the focus of the team on partner relationships and delivering growth objectives year after year, and our recent overhaul of the retail offering, which is one of the biggest changes in the airport's history. There is so much more to come and exciting times ahead and I leave the department in very capable hands to deliver the next stage in the airport's development. The opportunity in Sydney is very exciting and I feel it's the right time to move and take on that fresh challenge. 'Edinburgh Airport is truly a great place to work and it's the people and teams who make it what it is – they've certainly made my job a lot easier, and I know they'll do the same for Stephanie. I'll really miss working here, but I know that EDI will continue to go from strength to strength and I will follow its progress from a few time zones away!' Like this: Like Related
Arab News
26-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Wizz Air to launch Gatwick-Madinah flights
LONDON: European budget airline Wizz Air is launching direct flights between London Gatwick Airport and the Saudi city of Madinah this summer. The non-stop daily flights from Aug. 1 will use new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which can fly for up to 11 hours and burn 30 percent less fuel per seat than older aircraft. Wizz Air's first flight of the new-generation plane will take place from Gatwick to Jeddah on March 31, The Independent reported. The airline already operates almost 100 routes across the Middle East, and its expansion into the Kingdom aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan. Saudi Arabia is planning to expand air connectivity to more than 250 destinations around the world as part of wider ambitions to boost tourism, according to Aviation Week. Travelers seeking to fly from the UK to Madinah must currently take connecting flights. The new service direct to the holy city will cost £233.99 ($295), with more than 174,000 seats available per year on the route, which will have a flight time of about seven hours. Marion Geoffroy, managing director of Wizz Air UK, said the Gatwick-Madinah route is 'an important milestone for the airline, as we continue to widen our network from the UK beyond Europe.' She added: 'This new direct route will give thousands of travelers the chance to connect with a city rich in culture and history, for an affordable price.' Gatwick's vice president of aviation development, Stephanie Wear, said: 'It is great to be able to offer more choice to our passengers with a second destination in Saudi Arabia, particularly as Madinah is considered the second of the three holiest cities in the Islamic tradition.' Origin and destination traffic between London and Madinah reached almost 158,000 two-way passengers last year, making it the sixth-largest city pair between Europe and Saudi Arabia, Aviation Week reported. Wizz Air launched its first service to the Kingdom in September 2022. The ultra-low-cost carrier offers flights from Jeddah to Bucharest, Budapest, Milan, Rome and Vienna; Riyadh to Budapest and Vienna; and Dammam and Madinah to Abu Dhabi.
