London Southend Airport appoints long-standing Director of Operations, Marc Taylor, as acting Chief Executive Officer

London Southend Airport has confirmed the appointment of its long-standing Director of Operations, Marc Taylor, as acting Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Current Chief Executive Officer John Upton, who joined the airport in September 2022, has decided to step down to pursue new opportunities. 

Over the course of John’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer, London Southend has achieved several significant milestones on its path to post-Covid recovery, including a significant increase in destinations from three to 15, a return to year-round flying, a successful transition of ownership following its acquisition by Carlyle and Cyrus Capital Partners and, most recently, a multi-year deal with airline partner easyJet, which will see three based aircraft on-site from Summer 2025.

Having joined the airport in 1998, Marc brings significant experience and an in-depth understanding of London Southend’s operations, and, in his role as acting CEO, will be focused on continuing to drive operational performance and further scaling the business. 

Marc Taylor said: “I am honoured to take on this role. My focus will be on continuing to provide travellers with exceptional customer service and building on the airport’s recent momentum. London Southend remains a key asset to Southend City and the East Anglia region, and I look forward to working alongside our highly skilled teams as we continue to capitalise on the many opportunities that lie ahead. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank John for his contribution and leadership over the last few years.”

John Upton said: “London Southend has successfully navigated its way through a number of challenges over the past few years, but now boasts a solid foundation for future growth. I very much look forward to celebrating the airport’s continued success and I will, of course, be a frequent flyer.”

Passengers at London Southend Airport London Southend Airport can now leave liquids up to two litres in their cabin baggage, as the award-winning airport unveils new security equipment. 

The technology, known as C3, also means that all electrical items such as laptops, iPads, tablets etc. can remain in a passengers’ bag. 

As part of the upgrade to improve security, London Southend will now screen all passengers using security body scanners.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “The process for the screening of passengers is always being improved, and the introduction of the new cabin baggage technology will help airports to ensure that these screening processes are as efficient as possible.” 

Many airports around the world have not introduced this new technology, so passengers flying into the UK from other countries should check with their airline and the overseas airport from which they are travelling for return advice.

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