The airport offers flights from eight airlines, including Ryanair and easyJet, to over 60 destinations across Europe and onward worldwide connections.
Ancala invested in Liverpool Airport in 2019. We sourced the opportunity through an existing relationship with the vendor with whom we partnered on another very successful investment. Ancala’s value creation capabilities were important given they were retaining a stake. As such, Ancala was granted preferential access to the opportunity and secured the investment on a bilateral basis.
Since our investment, we have supported the business through the pandemic and have helped position Liverpool Airport for future growth. Ancala has provided additional follow-on funding to help the business capitalise on new growth opportunities.
Despite passenger numbers still recovering, the business generates higher EBITDA than pre-pandemic through improving customer spend throughout the airport and delivering other initiatives. Liverpool Airport has signed major new airlines such as Jet2.com and Lufthansa. It has also explored and expanded new revenue streams, such as bringing the fuel farm services provided for airlines in-house.
We have also helped the airport to secure planning permission to construct a solar farm on site which will help to decarbonise its operations.
In recognition of its commitment to delivering outstanding customer service, in 2023 and 2024, Liverpool John Lennon Airport was voted the UK’s best airport according to a survey by Which?, the UK’s consumer champion.
In the video below, John Irving, CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, discusses Ancala’s role in delivering the business’ value creation plans.