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Cheap Liverpool Airport Parking » Airport Information>History History of Liverpool AirportOne of the UK’s oldest airports was conceived in 1928 and came to fruition in 1933 although the first flight from the airport venue was in 1930. Named after a member of a singing group called The Beattles, a statue of John Lennon was dedicated by his widow Yoko Ono in 2002.
The official opening of an airport in Liverpool, although not the same site as the present Liverpool John Lennon Airport, was done by the Secretary of State for Air in 1933. Soon after nearby Speke Airport became an official airport, commercial flights from the original Liverpool Airport ceased. Although Speke operated on a low budget for some time, it eventually became the present airport for Liverpool.
From its opening until 1937, Speke Airport was operated from an old farmhouse which served as the terminal. An attic window in the farmhouse was the control tower window. In 1937 a new control tower replaced the attic window. Two years later, a new terminal replaced the farmhouse as a terminal.
During the war the airport was used for military aircraft construction. Hard surface runways made it possible for heavier aircraft to land on the airstrip. An outstanding event during the war involved the shooting down of a Junkers 88 plane by pilot Denys Gillam as he was taking off from the Speke Airport.
Local authority gained control of the airport from the Ministry of Aviation after the war and began to make improvements. Taxiways were installed, the apron was enlarged, and there was an extension to the runway.
The airport became more modern in its hours of services in 1966 after the Duke of Edinburgh opened a new, longer runway. This enabled the airport to be open 24 hours a day. Two years later a new terminal was opened. The old terminal soon became a hotel.
Merseyside County Council took control of the airport from Liverpool Corporation. This situation remained in force from the 1970s to the 1980s when Merseyside County Council was abolished. At this time the control transferred to the five Merseyside councils.
Again in 1990, Liverpool Airport’s management changed from a public control sector to a private control sector with British Aerospace having a 76% majority control. At this time the name was changed to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. It was the first UK airport to be named after a person.
In 1997 Peel Holdings plc acquire the 76% of shares that had been held by British Aerospace. Four years later, Peel Holdings acquired the other 24% of shares, making it the 100% owner of the airport. In 2002, the new ownership was investing heavily in the airport, over 52 million pounds. Much if this investment involved European Objective One. Improvements included a new terminal building, control tower and other projects. The airport was awarded the Fred Camenisch Award for increased tourism.
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