Southend Airport's branding as 'London' raises questions on geographical accuracy

easyJet plans to resume its route from London Southend to Geneva for winter after a three-year pause due to COVID-19 restrictions.

While some argue that Southend's distance from central London disqualifies it as a London airport, it is not significantly further than other airports like Luton or Stansted. Both of these are also more than an hour's drive from central London by train.

Operationally, Southend resembles smaller regional airports rather than major facilities expected for a city like London. easyJet is currently its only scheduled carrier with flights to six destinations but plans expansion in 2025. Bulgarian carrier BH Air operates seasonal charter flights from Southend.

Comparatively, Kirkwall Airport in rural Scotland has one airline operating limited routes with similar passenger numbers annually. Other small regional airports like Exeter and Norwich share operational similarities with Southend rather than other major London airports.

In conclusion, while officially named a London airport, London's Southend operations align more closely with regional facilities serving eastern Essex rather than an international gateway for the capital city. However, this marketing tactic has contributed to rising passenger numbers recently.