Two new stylish restaurants, duty free expansion and 30% per cent more seating at the heart of improvements
London City Airport has completed a major upgrade to its departure lounge following a significant investment to improve its passenger experience.
The upgrade, supported by SSP, Lagardère Travel Retail, WHSmith and Boots, provides a new look and feel throughout and includes two new stylish restaurants, a new local independent café & bar, a duty free expansion, a new flagship WHSmith and additional washrooms. The upgrade has also increased seating in the departure lounge by 30%, with more access to charging stations, and features a new flagship WHSmith store and Aelia Duty Free Store by Lagardère Travel Retail. Both stores boast an expanded and distinctively London product range.
As part of London City’s commitment to celebrating and supporting local businesses, it has worked with partners to showcase a selection of east London and British brands, including fragrance and lifestyle brand Earl of East, the East London Liquor Company, Little Bird London Dry Gin and the London Honey Company.
SSP’s new restaurant, Hithes, is a hybrid of city pub dining and a modern London brasserie, catering for all passengers’ tastes and offering dishes from the four corners of the city, including a Brick Lane chicken thali, the double decker burger, fish and chips and the Soho salad, complemented by a curated drinks menu of wines, beers, soft drinks and cocktails such as the gin-based London Mule, many of which feature local brands from across the capital.
The airport has also worked with SSP to introduce Juniper, a new premium bar and restaurant providing an additional 80 covers, offering locally sourced produce and featuring Paul Rhodes’ bakery, Forman’s salmon, local cheeses and a fantastic selection of local spirits, Jeroboams’ fine wines and craft beers.
Alison FitzGerald, Chief Executive Officer of London City Airport, said: “We are delighted to unveil our upgraded departure lounge, which builds on our unrivalled customer experience and commitment to providing one of London’s best passenger experiences.
“Over the last couple of years, we have taken the opportunity to redevelop our entire proposition, including the roll out of cutting-edge security scanners and now the offer of new restaurants and shopping experiences that celebrate some of the leading brands in our neighbourhood of east London.”
Cathy Granby, Business Development Director for SSP UK and Ireland, said: “Hithes is an exciting new concept for us, developed to fuse old and new London at this rapidly expanding airport. It joins SSP’s existing Juniper and Soul + Grain outlets, providing more choice and bespoke menus for passengers at this busy airport.”
Peter Newbould, CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland, said: “This transformation was meticulously crafted to meet the unique character and needs of London City. A key feature of the store is the “Sense of Place” area, which allows passengers to engage with local brands, offering a distinctive and memorable shopping experience.”
Data shows that London City Airport is the closest airport for over half of all Londoners. Passengers can access London City Airport on the DLR service in 27 minutes from Bank; 17 minutes from Stratford; 15 minutes from Canary Wharf; and 40 minutes from Covent Garden and get from the entrance to the gate in less than 10 minutes.
London City confirmed earlier this year that more than half of its passengers are now travelling for leisure and to visit friends and family. The CAA’s latest data shows that for 2022 and 2023 London City was ranked the most punctual airport in London. Last year, LCY was recognised as London’s Best Airport by Which? and cited in Time Out for being the most efficient airport in the UK.
