Story ID: 
Harrods supersizes at London Luton
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: Harrods Aviation at London Luton Airport is preparing to relocate to much larger premises by next summer.
Word Count: 371
Harrods Aviation at London Luton Airport is preparing to relocate to much larger premises by next summer. The British FBO will move to Hangar 129, which is adjacent to the airport’s existing cargo area and offers its own security entrance from a road that avoids traffic heading for the main passenger terminal.

The UK group says it needs the new facilities to accommodate strong growth in traffic. Since Harrods (Booth No. 4790) opened for business at Luton in June 2003, it has seen the number of aircraft it handles grow by 159 percent to reach 1,600 movements this July.

The new Harrods building at Luton will offer just over 8,600 sq ft of office space on two floors and nearly 5,400 sq ft of passenger and pilot lounges. The facility will also offer flight-planning offices, conference rooms and catering services. Importantly, there will also be customs and immigration services located on site, speeding the throughput of international flights.

Growing Capabilities

As part of a major redevelopment at the airport, the FBO will get more than 100,000 sq ft of ramp space and room to park around 100 cars. The company will also retain the use of Hangars 201 and 202, which are closer to the new facility than to the existing Harrods building.

Two Bombardier Challengers recently joined the roster of aircraft based with Harrods at Luton. Both are managed and operated by Twinjet Aircraft– one exclusively for the use of its private owner and the other being available for charter. The operator intends to base a Challenger 604 at Luton, along with its existing pair of Embraer Legacys and a new Airbus Corporate Jetliner.

Harrods also has a major FBO at London Stansted Airport, 35 miles northeast of the UK capital. Luton is 30 miles north of downtown. Its Air Harrods charter division can provide helicopter connections from either site.

The company, which is part of the same group as London’s famous Harrods department store, also operates factory-authorized service centers for Bombardier, Embraer, Sikorsky and Honeywell. It can also work on several Gulfstreams, the Raytheon Hawker 800 and the Agusta 109 helicopter.