East Midlands Airport celebrates 50 years
- Published
East Midlands Airport is celebrating 50 years since plans were put in place to bring passengers in and out of the region.
In 1963, a joint committee, made up of representatives from Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire, were tasked with finding a site and securing the necessary funds to replace Burnaston Aerodrome. Castle Donington Airfield, a former RAF base decommissioned in 1946, was later purchased for £37,500.
In 1964, planning permission to build the £1.37m airport was approved and work began. The airport was officially opened on 2 April 1965 by the Duke of Edinburgh. The first company to fly from the airport was Derby Airways, and the first destination on offer was Glasgow.
Paul Smith, an archivist with Thomas Cook, said as the demand for overseas travel increased in the 1960s, so did opportunities for regional airports like East Midlands.
Steve Gensler, an airport historian, said: "It was a very small airport. it had about 10 check-in desks and you would walk up to the desk, hand your ticket and baggage in, then literally just walk out to the aircraft."
In 1970, the airport's runway was extended to accommodate larger aircraft but it was not until 1982 that the first Boeing 757 arrived.
Tragedy struck in 1989 when 47 people were killed when a British Midland Boeing 737 attempted to make an emergency landing at the airport. The plane crashed on to the M1. 74 passengers and crew survived.
In 1996, the airport opened a new departure building as part of a £14.5m project. The airport also welcomed its 25 millionth passenger.
In 2004, Low cost airline Ryanair began operations and a self-service check-in was launched.
Also in 2004, the airport was used by Oxfam to fly relief aid for the victims of the tsunami in South East Asia.
East Midlands Airport is now one of the UK's top freight handling airports.
More than 6,500 employees are based at the site, near Donington Park race track.
Today, more than four million passengers use the airport each year, with flights to more than 70 destinations.
- Published10 June 2013