Major UK airport launches free bus travel for all passengers this summer

A SUMMER of free bus travel for under 16s has started in the UK and one major airport is now offering free trips too. To encourage passengers to leave their cars behind, bus travel will be completely free to and from the terminal for all holidaymakers throughout August. Passengers travelling to and from Luton Airport this summer can do so for free Credit: Alamy Stock Photo The buses will take passengers to the terminal Credit: Alamy London Luton Airport in Bedfordshire will operate buses throughout the day dropping passengers right outside without having to pay a fare. This falls under the ‘Fly and Ride’ scheme where passengers can travel free on a range of Arriva and Stagecoach services. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! All travellers have to do is show a valid printed or digital boarding pass for a flight departing from London Luton Airport during August. The offer is valid on Arriva routes 101, X1, X2, X3, X4, A and Z. It’s also valid on Stagecoach’s MK1, which covers the nearby towns of Stevenage, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Bedford and Dunstable. The free journey will count from any stop between August 1-31. Return journeys must be completed by August 31 to qualify. The offer does not include National Express and Greenline services. Most read in Travel August is the busiest month for most airports and last year 1.8million holidaymakers travelled through Luton Airport. This was a five per cent increase from the year before, according to the CAA. London Luton Airport saw over one million passengers last August Credit: Alamy Alberto Martin, CEO of London Luton Airport, said: “This is a fantastic initiative and a great example of how we continually look to extend our simple and friendly passenger experience far beyond the terminal doors. “As we prepare for our busiest summer on record, we’re delighted to offer passengers the opportunity to leave the car at home, take advantage of excellent local bus services and travel to the airport for free.” This comes after part of the new government scheme where under 16s can get on bus for no cost as part of the government’s Great British Summer Saving scheme. Child fares typically cost between £1 and £2 so families will be able to save on the cost of travel. The scheme is running from now until August 31. Comment now