London Fashion Week is held three times a year. It is part of the “Big 4” international fashion weeks. It brings the who’s who of the fashion world to London, together with a large quantity of business jets in supporting roles. This year’s events schedule is:

• Fall/Winter – February 17-21, 2023
• Spring/Summer – June 10-12, 2023 and September 15-19, 2023

Best London Fashion Week airport options

Depending on the airfield you choose for your operation to this event, it’s important to consider airport slots, parking, and PPR requirements. Additionally, be aware of noise requirements in the area. Most Fashion Week events are in Central London.

The best airport option, depending on your schedule, could be RAF London Northolt, which is London’s closest business airport to Central London. Now that the Royal Air Force (RAF) made the Northolt available on weekends, it’s an even better option. Northolt’s hours are:

• Monday – Friday: 0800 – 2000 LCL
• Saturday: 0800 – 1500 LCL
• Sunday: 1200 – 1900 LCL

Northolt is also a great option for making crew swaps due to its proximity to Heathrow. Northolt to Park Lane Central London is 30 minutes by car. The same journey from most other London airports would take over 1 hour 30 minutes. If you haven’t been to the UK in a while, you may not be aware that London-Northolt Airport has recently expanded its hours, making it a great option for accessing Central London or for flights making crew swaps at Heathrow. 

You can read more about the enhancements at Northolt in our Northolt destination guide. London City (EGLC) is another airport option in close proximity to the fashion runways.

The only 24-hour GA-friendly airfields in the London area are EGSS and EGGW. And while both are 24/7, they are subject to limited slot availability – first come, first served.

Stansted (EGSS) and Luton (EGGW) are a 60-75 minute drive to the West End, depending upon traffic. As a 24/7 airport with 10,000-foot runways, Stansted is always a great option for any business aviation option to London.

Lastly, whether you are visiting London for Fashion Week or anytime this summer, strongly think about your airport options, as fees and overall costs of operating to each vary wildly.

Parking alone at Luton could cost you up to 5× more than at Stansted.

Our London Airports Destination Guide has a breakdown of all the region’s airports.

You can read more about operating to Stansted in our Stansted destination guide.

Biggin Hill (EGKB) is also a good option, although on the other side of the city, and Farnborough (EGLF) is about a 115-minute drive to the primary fashion venues.

Hotels, catering, and local transport

Some preferred hotels in central London may sell out during these events, but there should be no problem locating acceptable crew accommodations. Accommodations can be sourced based on crew preferences and budget. For example, some crew like to stay in central London while others may prefer a country hotel close to a golf course.

For local transport in London, the underground tube system is convenient and safe, as are black London taxis. You may also want to consider ridesharing apps or have your ground handler arrange transport between the airport and hotel. You can get a free quote for ground transportation through Drivania Chauffeurs.

The London area has some terrific caterers who primarily service the GA market. While there are good in-flight catering options to be had at all airports, there are no issues in bringing catering from hotels/restaurants through security and out to your aircraft, assuming this is coordinated with your handler. For more information on catering, visit Air Culinaire Worldwide.

Summer Congestion 

You can see destination insights such as peak congestion within Feasibility-IQ.

Although not as busy as June and July, September is still a very busy month in London, so planning ahead is a must. Depending on which airport you choose, it’s also worth considering adding an additional layer of support, like an Air2Ground representative to help navigate unforeseen events and reduce risk.

Conclusion

Attendees to Fashion Week 2023 should consider airports convenient to the venues such as RAF London Northolt. Although expected to attract business aviation operators, there are no anticipated capacity issues with local airports or hotels. Operators should, however, work closely with their service providers as local services may be constrained due to worker and supply shortages.