London Southend Airport name 'misleading'

LONDON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Officials at London City Airport said the rebranding of a competing hub from Southend Airport to London Southend will confuse visitors.

Matthew Hall, London City's chief commercial officer, said visitors will be confused by the presence of "London" in the name, despite the airport being located nearly 50 miles from the center of the city, The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

"Giving the 'London' designation to an airport which is nearly an hour away by train is faintly ridiculous and extremely misleading," Hall told travel industry magazine Travel Trade Gazette. "You have to feel for the visitor who expects to land in London and ends up in a field on the east coast."

Hall said the designation adds to the confusion caused by London Luton, which is 32 miles from the capital; London Stansted, which is 40 miles from London; and London Oxford, which is 60 miles from the city.