East Midlands Airport (EMA) is in line to be declared the UK’s best airport in two national awards, as well as being recognised for being a good neighbour to surrounding communities.
The National Transport Awards and the Travel Industry Awards by TTG have both shortlisted EMA in their Airport of the Year categories. EMA is also a finalist in the Positive Impact category of the Travel Industry Awards.
The Airport of the Year shortlisting recognises EMA’s focus on providing effortless travel for its passengers and seamless trade through its unrivalled cargo operation. Internationally-recognised Airport Service Quality rankings earlier this year placed EMA second in the UK for overall experience and 13th among 119 participating European airports for how people feel about their experience.
Over the past year, the airport has launched a £120m investment programme including improvements to customer facilities and security arrangements, as well as upgrading its Air Traffic Control equipment, runway and taxiways.
EMA served 4.077m passenger in 2023/24, an increase of 22% on the previous year. Underlining the effortless experience, 99.9% of EMA's passengers cleared security in less than 15 minutes, with the CAA rating EMA’s security training ‘outstanding.’ The CAA also gave top marks for the fifth year running to EMA’s Assisted Travel service which provides extra help for customers getting through the airport and on and off aircraft.
EMA’s cargo operations continued to connect the region with 185 of the world’s largest cities and handle around 400,000 tonnes of goods, making it the number one air freight hub in the UK. Cargo airline One Air moved its operations from Heathrow to EMA in March and a report concluded EMA’s potential for further growth could see up to £1.8bn extra in additional GVA and up to 12,600 new jobs by 2030.
The Positive Impact submission showcases EMA’s efforts to be a good neighbour, including grants to local communities passing the £2m milestone, and a new Noise Action Plan being adopted, including a ban on the noisiest aircraft at night. It focused on the Low Carbon Energy scheme which supported 44 local projects benefiting nearly 50,000 people. This was largely funded by extra income from the increased demand in cargo flights during the pandemic.
EMA’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said: “We’ve had a fantastic year, increasing our passenger numbers to above 4m for the first time since the pandemic and bolstering our position as the UK’s number one air freight hub.
“Being finalists in these prestigious national awards is already great recognition for the exceptional work our brilliant people have done in helping customers have an easy and enjoyable experience going on holiday from EMA and supporting UK trade with our unrivalled cargo operation, while continuing to be a good neighbour to our surrounding communities.”
In the Travel Industry Awards, EMA is shortlisted alongside Birmingham, Glasgow, London Southend and Newcastle airports for Airport of the Year and alongside Audley Travel, EasyJet Holidays, Explore Worldwide, G Adventures, Intrepid Travel, Sandals Resorts and Trafalgar in the Positive Impact category. Winners will be announced at a ceremony later this Thursday (September 26). In the National Transport Awards, contenders for Airport of the Year also include Aberdeen Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, London Luton Airport and London Stansted Airport. Winners will be announced at a ceremony next Thursday (October 3).
