STANSTED Airport welcomed the new operator of the Stansted Express rail service at a launch event on Monday (February 6).

Greater Anglia began running the airport to London Liverpool Street service on Sunday. It will operate from February 2012 to mid-2014.

Stansted Airport’s managing director, Nick Barton, said the new franchise was good news for airport passengers.

“With new trains leaving every 15 minutes to and from central London, the Stansted Express offers an excellent connection to the capital. The Stansted Express will play a key role in giving our passengers an excellent first impression of both Stansted Airport and the UK as a whole.”

Managing director of Greater Anglia, Ruud Haket, said: “With the new trains serving the airport we are confident that we can offer a comfortable, fast and reliable route for customers travelling to and from Stansted.”

He added that new ticket purchase routes and an upgraded first class ticket offer, including newspaper and beverages, would be launched in May.