International Airport Review
Gabriel Higgins
31 Mar 2026
Simon Gorrighan, Aviation Director, shares exclusively to International Airport Review how London Stansted Airport’s £1.1 billion investment programme is set to transform the airport.
London Stansted is currently undergoing an extensive five-year programme to develop the airport, with the project consisting of a significant terminal expansion and the installation of new security technology, among other elements.
The preliminary steps, however, were taken before this programme officially began in 2024, Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted Airport’s Aviation Director, explains. Starting in 2019, the airport filed for an increase in the passenger cap and now has permission to serve up to 51 million passengers a year.
The centrepiece of the £1.1 billion programme will be the terminal expansion, which will see all passenger touchpoints from check-in, security, departure lounges, and retail being enhanced. The terminal itself will expand by 33%, towards the back end of the current terminal. This will be the most significant upgrade London Stansted Airport has undergone since its construction in 1991...
