The airport needs to develop its role for commercial flights and as air passenger destination whilst continuing and expanding its business operation for aviation related maintenance, repair and overhaul market. The expansion of the airport operation and the related growth of the aviation cluster within the airport and the adjoining business area have the opportunity to safeguard existing jobs and create new jobs. The length of runway needs to be extended in order to create opportunity for airlines to operator from London Southend Airport with the bigger aircrafts and place Southend-on-Sea a destination on the air commercial flight operators. There are likely to be many benefits associated with the expansion of commercial flights, in particular improvements in the local infrastructure that will arise through the expansion of the airport, enhancement of the local facilities and increased economic benefits through business growth in the aviation and services industries.