[4][5][6] Following its purchase by Stobart Group in 2008,[6] a development programme[7][8][9] provided a new terminal[10] and control tower,[11] extended the runway,[12] and opened Southend Airport railway station (on the Shenfield–Southend line), which provides a connection to central London via a regular rail service between Liverpool Street Station and Southend Victoria.

The airport was put up for sale by then-current owner Esken in March 2023 following a review of the group's core businesses.

[21][22] In March 2024, The Carlyle Group alongside Cyrrus Capital Partners took ownership of the airport providing up to £32m of new investment.

[23] London Southend Airport mainly handles scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and business flights, alongside general aviation flying and pilot training (both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter).

[29] Companies located within the airport boundary employ around 450 workers, with businesses including aircraft maintenance, flying clubs and the airport-owned hotel.

[30] Previously British World Airlines had its head office at Viscount House at London Southend Airport.

During World War II, it became a base for fighter squadrons comprising Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes as well as Bristol Blenheims.

[42] Many of the 50 pillboxes that were designed to protect the airport from paratroop landings still survive, as does the underground defence control room, which is near to Southend Flying Club.

Canewdon, 2 mi (3.2 km) north-east of the airport, was the location of one of the World War II Chain Home radar stations.

In the 1970s, the proximity of housing on nearby roads, as well as St Laurence Church on Eastwoodbury Lane less than 100m from the runway prevented expansion.

[citation needed] In 2001, a debate centred on the possible relocation of the Grade I listed St Laurence and All Saints Church further away from the side of the main runway.

The proposal was dropped after the planning application was rejected by Southend Council in 2003,[46] and a compromise scheme was implemented resulting in the installation of new barriers across Eastwoodbury Lane and requiring slightly shorter licensed runway lengths once safety areas had been added.

On 1 June 2010, Stobart Group took a £100 million loan from M & G Investments, partly in order to fund the airport construction.

[58][59] EasyJet announced a ten-year agreement with Stobart Group in June 2011, and in April 2012 commenced around 70 flights per week from Southend, using three Airbus A319 aircraft based at the airport,[60][61] flying to eight European destinations.

Easyjet's operation at the airport increased to 16 destinations and in the summer of 2018 they based a fourth aircraft at Southend, an Airbus A320.

[66] The original terminal has been redeveloped for use by private jets, with Stobart Air having invested half a million pounds turning it into an executive business lounge.

[68] In spring 2014, Stobart Air announced that it had agreed a five-year franchise agreement with Flybe which would see two Flybe-branded aircraft based at Southend operating six routes from summer 2014.

In December 2016, Flybe announced it would be adding new routes from summer 2017 to 12 European destinations, primarily aimed at the weekend break customers.

[78] In May 2019, Loganair started to fly to Aberdeen, Glasgow and Stornoway;[79] in July 2019 to Carlisle, and Derry flights moved from Stansted to Southend on 27 October 2019.

[83][84] On 22 January 2020, Norwegian airline Widerøe announced it would move its Kristiansand route from Stansted to Southend at the start of the Summer 2020 season,[85] however due to the COVID-19 pandemic this was initially postponed until 26 October 2020 before being cancelled completely when the airline chose not to return to the airport and moved to Heathrow in March 2021.

[89] On 6 August 2021, Ryanair also announced the closure of its base at Southend, effective 30 October 2021[90] leaving the airport with barely any scheduled services for the time being.

On 17 December 2021, easyJet signed a multi-year deal with the airport and announced that they would initially return in a limited capacity with routes to Málaga and Palma de Mallorca.

[98] On 6 March 2024, it was announced that The Carlyle Group, alongside Cyrrus Capital Partners, would take control of the airport in a deal which would "return no value" to Esken's shareholders.

[99] The deal settled Esken's debt to Carlyle whilst providing a £5m bridge loan and a commitment of £32m of new funding to secure the airport's future.

[103] The London Southend Jet Centre is a fixed-base operator established in 2017 and situated at the airport with their own terminal, parking stands and hangar.

[48][106] In 2019, the runway was resurfaced to grooved asphalt for better durability and performance so that heavier aircraft, such as the Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A321, can commercially operate at the airport.

[107] Some of the largest aircraft that have operated at the airport, for maintenance or scrapping, include the Airbus A300, Lockheed L-1011 TriStar and Ilyushin Il-76.