Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited easyJet’s head office and maintenance base at London Luton Airport last week to mark the success of the airline’s apprenticeship programme and celebrate its contribution to local skills and employment.
The royal visit to Hangar 89 came as easyJet prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary next month, three decades after the company first launched from Luton in November 1995 with a mission to make flying affordable for all.
The Princess was welcomed by the Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire before meeting engineers, apprentices and staff from across the airline, including members of easyJet’s veterans network and long-serving employees recognised for their commitment to the company.
During the visit, she heard how the airline’s apprenticeship scheme – launched in 2013 – has become a key pathway for local talent in aviation, engineering and technology. The programme now supports more than 150 apprentices across England, with 40 new aircraft engineering apprentices joining each year.
The airline says it is helping Bedfordshire grow as a regional hub for innovation and career opportunities, with a new maintenance hangar set to open at Luton next year creating over 30 new engineering and maintenance jobs. The site will also serve as a dedicated training base for the airline’s expanding apprenticeship scheme.
easyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said: “We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Hangar 89 as we approach our 30th anniversary. This was a proud moment for us all at easyJet, recognising the incredible work of our people across the business who all play an important role in helping to connect millions of people, cultures and businesses, with our continued growth in the UK including at our base here in Luton providing local jobs for those here in Bedfordshire and beyond.”
The Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire said: “I was delighted that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal joined us in Bedfordshire as easyJet celebrates its 30th anniversary. The visit highlighted both the success of easyJet’s apprenticeship programme and the company’s outstanding contribution to local employment and skills. It is wonderful to see our county recognised as a hub for innovation and opportunity in aviation.”
The Princess Royal’s visit came on the same day she also toured Tennyson Road Primary School and Tokko Youth Hub, two other Luton organisations benefitting from airport-related community projects.
