Ardian Infrastructure reported that it sold its 49% stake in London Luton Airport (LLA) to AMP Capital, the Australian specialist global investment manager.
Ardian acquired its stake in the airport in 2013 and in conjunction with airport operator Aena , invested over £160 million (US$222m) in the airport’s development. The result has seen passenger numbers increase from 9.7 million in 2013 to 15.8 million in 2017, thus making LLA one of the UK’s fastest-growing airports. The airport’s route network has substantially increased since Ardian and Aena joined forces. Today it serves more than 140 destinations across Europe, Asia and Africa. In addition, the airport has also seen the creation of 3,000 jobs, either directly or indirectly.
Of the deal, Mathias Burghardt, member of the Executive Committee of Ardian and Head of Infrastructure, said: “It has been great to see the growth and development of LLA over the last four and a half years. LLA is a perfect example of our strategy of developing airports through capacity expansion and improvement of passenger experience. Ardian’s strategy of working with industrial partners and actively manage assets delivers superior returns to our investors.”
