London Biggin Hill Airport has a new managing director and she comes from Dubai. From March 1, Jenny Munro will takeover from Peter Lonergan, who is retiring after 16 years in the job.

Munro, who is British, is currently development vice president with Dubai International Airports. She has been in the air transport business for 22 years, having previously held positions with bmi British Midlands and Emirates Airline. Lonnergan, will continue on a temporary basis as a non-executive director with responsibility for completing construction of the airport's new fire station and hangar.

"Jenny Munro's career has spanned both product and operational roles for airlines and airports at increasingly senior executive levels, placing her in an ideal position to lead this historic south London at an important time in its commercial development," said Biggin Hill's executive chairman Andrew Walters.

Biggin Hill (Stand C520) has just started construction for a new 55,000-square-foot hangar, adjacent to its main passenger terminal. The move is part of a wider expansion plan that has already seen the expansion of available ramp space to some 500,000 square feet and which should also see the addition of a hotel at the site and a new aerospace academy.

The new hangar should be ready to open in the spring of 2011 and the privately owned airport is already laying plans to build a new terminal building. On the other side of the airport Qatar-based group Rizon Jet is about to open a brand new FBO complex with hangar. Visiting operators now have the choice of three handling providers-the airport itself, Jet Aviation and Rizon, which is also active in both the Middle Eastern and European aircraft charter and management sectors.