East Midlands Airport is ‘Airport of the Year’ contender at National Transport Awards
East Midlands Airport has been shortlisted as Airport of the Year in the National Transport Awards.
The awards, supported by the Department of Transport, highlight and celebrate the unwavering commitment, expertise, and innovation of those working tirelessly to improve our transport networks across the UK. Winners will be announced in October at a ceremony where Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander will be the keynote speaker.
East Midlands Airport’s shortlisting is based on a successful year – marking the airport’s 60th anniversary - in which:
· Passenger numbers were held at around 4m, with encouraging year-on-year increases heading into summer 2026
· The express air cargo operation remained the busiest in the UK, with cargo growth representing a third of all air cargo growth in the UK
· Extensive improvements were carried out throughout the terminal and on the airfield as part of an ongoing £120m investment programme to enhance the customer experience
· Customer satisfaction increased across all metrics, with 97% of customers rating the airport good to excellent
· East Midlands was among the least delayed airports in the UK, with 90.4% of flights departing on time during the busiest early wave
· The CAA gave the airport the highest accessibility ranking for the sixth year running, as investment continues in Assisted Travel improvements
· Progress was made to decarbonise ground operations, shifting the airport’s operational fleet to biodiesel, and continuing to incentivise airlines to reduce their carbon footprint
· Ongoing training and employment activity included the first-ever Aviation Careers Festival backed by the DfT and CAA, attracting 500 students.
East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said: “I’m delighted we’re finalists in the National Transport Awards Airport of the Year category – it’s a great way to celebrate all that we achieved in our 60th anniversary year.
“We hit the halfway mark of our investment programme which has seen huge improvements for our customers throughout the terminal – and on all measures we have increased customer satisfaction. Meanwhile our cargo operation went from strength to strength, attracting new airlines and topping 400,000 tonnes for the first time since the pandemic.
“It’s all been achieved by our fantastic team who are dedicated to providing effortless travel for our customers and driving seamless trade for the UK.”