Gatwick: Boss of worst airport for flight delays promoted
London Gatwick Airport has named a new top boss after its long-serving chief executive was promoted to a newly created position.
Stewart Wingate has served as the airport’s CEO for the last 15 years but has now been named as managing director, UK airports, for Vinci Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners.
Vinci Airports owns a 50.01 per cent stake in both London Gatwick and Edinburgh Airport while Global Infrastructure Partners manages the remaining 49.99 per cent. Belfast International Airport is wholly owned by Vinci Airports.
Wingate will oversee the future development and strategic direction of all three airports with each CEO reporting to him.
Pierre-Hugues Schmit, who is currently chief commercial and operational officer at Vinci Airports and a non-executive director on the London Gatwick board, will succeed Wingate.
Both will take up their new roles on 1 September.
Outgoing London Gatwick boss praised
In a statement issued to the London Stock Exchange, Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of Vinci Concessions and president of Vinci Airports and Michael McGhee, deputy chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) jointly said: “Stewart is one of the most experienced aviation executives in Europe and on behalf of the board we would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution to London Gatwick.
“During his tenure, passenger numbers have climbed from 30 million in 2009 to more than 43 million, fuelled by significant growth in long-haul routes and strong airline relationships.
“He has also overseen major transformations in areas including runway and airfield operations and security and embedded sustainability at the heart of airport operations.
“His broad expertise and strong track record make him an ideal choice for the newly created role of managing director for the UK as we look to maximise the opportunities across our UK portfolio.
“We would also like to thank Pierre-Hugues Schmit for his significant contribution to the development and performance of Vinci Airports as chief commercial and operations officer for the past seven years.
“Thanks to his extensive experience in the aviation sector and as a board member for London Gatwick, Pierre-Hugues is well-placed to deliver on the significant growth opportunities that lie ahead for London Gatwick. We wish both of them much success in their new roles.”
Profit rises as delays continue
In April, CityAM reported that more airlines flew from London Gatwick Airport than ever before last year as the Sussex hub continues to drive expansion of its long-haul offering.
Some 43.2m passengers passed through the airport in 2024, up 5.7 per cent year-on-year, according to its annual report.
Profit for the period came in at £342.9m, up 8.9 per cent on revenues of £1.1bn.
A decision on Gatwick’s plan for a second runway has been pushed back until the end of October amid concern over the capability of its local transport infrastructure.
Earlier in April, CityAM also reported that Gatwick has retained its position as the UK’s worst airport for flight delays, as it suffered from air traffic control (ATC) disruption in 2024.
Departures from the West Sussex airport were an average of more than 23 minutes behind schedule in 2024, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the PA news agency.
The airport has said it is no longer suffering from ATC disruptions.
Airport in ‘strong financial position’
Wingate added: “It’s been a privilege to lead the London Gatwick team for over 15 years through a number of very exciting projects such as the seven-year planning process to bring our Northern Runway into routine use and more challenging periods such as the Covid pandemic.
“I have also been fortunate to have had the opportunity to engage with a broad range of local stakeholders as we have shaped and delivered our plans.
“The airport is in a strong financial and operational position with more airlines than ever before serving our passengers.
“I am delighted to be handing over to Pierre-Hugues and look forward to continuing to be involved with London Gatwick and working with the teams from Edinburgh and Belfast in my new role.”
Schmit said: “London Gatwick plays a vital role in the UK, by providing seamless access to both global and domestic markets and delivering substantial trade and economic benefits in the South-East and beyond.
“I’m excited to be joining London Gatwick as chief executive to lead the airport through the next stage of its growth journey.”