London City Airport serving the London area—after Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton—and was the 14th-busiest in the UK in 2017. The airport was first proposed in 1981 by Reg Ward, who was Chief Executive of the newly formed London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) that was responsible for the regeneration of the area. He in turn discussed the proposal with Sir Philip Beck (Chairman of John Mowlem & Co plc) and the idea of an airport for Docklands was born. By November of that year Mowlem and Bill Bryce of Brymon Airways had submitted an outline proposal to the LDDC for a Docklands STOLport
London Southend Airport own railway station near the terminal building, Southend Airport railway station on the Shenfield to Southend Line, which is served by Abellio Greater Anglia connecting the airport to Liverpool Street station in London up to 8 times per hour and Southend Victoria railway station in the other direction respectively. The journey to London takes about one hour. The airport's management has expressed a desire to develop the rail service, both so it finishes later (as presently the last arrival lands after the last train has left), and so there is an 'express' service direct to London to reduce travel times.