Blackpool Airport closure: BAE Systems offers to help aviation operators

The BAE Systems site in Warton has an operational airfield and air traffic control

Defence giant BAE Systems has offered help to aviation operators who are based at the soon-to-be-closed Blackpool Airport.

Owners Balfour Beatty said the airport will shut on Wednesday after it was unable to find a buyer.

The firm said it had been making a loss for a number of years and it was ending its involvement in regional airports.

BAE Systems said it was in talks with a number of operators to offer short-term use of its aviation facilities.

The company's site in Warton, Lancashire, has an operational airfield and air traffic control.

In a statement BAE Systems said: "We are disappointed with the recent news that Blackpool Airport is to stop flying operations until a new owner can be secured.

"We are in discussion with a number of operators from Blackpool Airport to see if we can provide some short-term business continuity to them without affecting our operations."

Jet2 transferred its flights from Blackpool to Manchester on Friday.

Blackpool Council is exploring the potential for turning the airport into an enterprise zone.

Balfour Beatty, which bought the site in 2008, put it up for sale in August.

About 110 staff are employed at the airport, which served 235,000 passengers last year.