London City Airport has appointed Andy Cliffe as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. He takes the reins from outgoing CEO Alison FitzGerald, who will step down following "a managed handover period".
Cliffe’s appointment comes as the airport prepares for a period of “major growth” after the UK government in 2024 granted approval to increase annual passenger capacity at the East London airport from 6.5 million to 9 million.
Cliffe joins the airport from Macquarie Asset Management, where he’s served as operating partner since February 2025 and supported the firm in acquiring a 75 per cent stake in London City Airport via a series of deals in 2025. The terms of the dual transactions (in June and October) were undisclosed. Cliffe also joined the airport’s board last October as a non‑executive director.
Prior to this, Cliffe held senior leadership roles at Manchester Airports Group and served as Group CEO of AGS Airports in the UK from 2023 to 2025.
London City Airport is seeking regulatory approval to introduce Airbus A320neo aircraft as it looks to increase capacity. In a statement, the airport said it is also “progressing plans for investment in new infrastructure, enhanced customer experience, new routes and operational resilience”.
Commenting on his appointment, Cliffe said: “London City has a unique market position and an exceptional opportunity ahead of it.
“I look forward to working with the talented LCY team and our partners to build on the strong foundations created by Alison, to deliver sustainable growth, enhance our airline offering and ensure the airport continues to play a vital role for London and the UK economy.”
Outgoing CEO Alison FitzGerald joined the airport in 2014, working as chief information officer and then as operations chief before taking the helm as chief executive in May 2024.