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Glasgow Airport: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 55°52′19″N 004°25′59″W / 55.87194°N 4.43306°W / 55.87194; -4.43306
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Reverted good faith edits by 86.5.50.253; Per WP:CRYSTAL - services haven't started, won't start until next year, aren't cited, etc etc. (TW)
Airlines and destinations: New routes with citations as required per WP:AIRPORTS.
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[[Image:Loganair saab white.jpg|thumb|right| Loganair [[Saab 340|SAAB 340A]] in the "albino" colour scheme. Glasgow International Airport, [[Scotland]].]]
[[Image:Loganair saab white.jpg|thumb|right| Loganair [[Saab 340|SAAB 340A]] in the "albino" colour scheme. Glasgow International Airport, [[Scotland]].]]
[[File:Thomsonfly GLA.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Thomsonfly]] [[Boeing 767#767-300|Boeing 767-300ER]] at Glasgow International Airport. (2006)]]
[[File:Thomsonfly GLA.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Thomsonfly]] [[Boeing 767#767-300|Boeing 767-300ER]] at Glasgow International Airport. (2006)]]





{{Airport-dest-list
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|[[SunExpress]]|Antalya | 1
|[[SunExpress]]|Antalya | 1
|[[Thomas Cook Airlines]]|Alicante, Antalya, Banjul, Bodrum, Burgas, Calgary, Cancún, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Grenoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Mahón, Málaga, Malta, Monastir, Orlando-Sanford, Palma, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Reus, Rhodes, Rovaniemi, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Zakynthos | 2
|[[Thomas Cook Airlines]]|Alicante, Antalya, Banjul, Bodrum, Burgas, Calgary, Cancún, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Grenoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Mahón, Málaga, Malta, Monastir, Orlando-Sanford, Palma, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Reus, Rhodes, Rovaniemi, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Zakynthos | 2
|[[Thomson Airways]]|Alicante, Antalya, Bodrum, Burgas, Cancún, Cape Verde, Corfu , Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Geneva, Heraklion, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Minorca, Monastir, Naples, Orlando-Sanford, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Reus, Rhode, Salzburg, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Verona, Zakynthos | 1
|[[Thomson Airways]]|Alicante, Antalya, Boa Vista [begins 1 May 2011; seasonal],<ref>[http://flights.thomson.co.uk/thomson/en-GB/timetable/findbyroute?departure=GLA&destination=BVC Thomson Airways Timetable - Glasgow to Boa Vista]</ref> Bodrum, Burgas, Cancún, Cape Verde, Corfu , Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Geneva, Heraklion, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Minorca, Monastir, Naples, Orlando-Sanford, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana [begins 14 May 2011; seasonal],<ref>[http://flights.thomson.co.uk/thomson/en-GB/timetable/findbyroute?departure=GLA&destination=PUJ Thomson Airways Timetable - Glasgow to Punta Cana]</ref> Reus, Rhode, Salzburg, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Verona, Zakynthos | 1
|[[Turkuaz Airlines]]|Antalya | 1
|[[Turkuaz Airlines]]|Antalya | 1
|[[US Airways]]|Philadelphia [seasonal] | 1
|[[US Airways]]|Philadelphia [seasonal] | 1

Revision as of 16:44, 27 May 2010

Glasgow International Airport

Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu
File:BAA Glasgow logo.png
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorBAA
ServesGlasgow
LocationGreater Glasgow
Hub for
Elevation AMSL26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates55°52′19″N 004°25′59″W / 55.87194°N 4.43306°W / 55.87194; -4.43306
Websitewww.glasgowairport.com
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 2,658 8,720 Grooved Asphalt
09/27 1,104 3,622 Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Aircraft Movements85,281
Passengers7,225,021
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]
Location BAA Glasgow[3]

Glasgow International Airport (Scottish Gaelic: Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu) (IATA: GLA, ICAO: EGPF) (formerly Glasgow Abbotsinch Airport) is located 8 miles (13 km) south west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire.

In 2009 the airport handled 7,225,021 passengers, an 11.7% annual reduction, making it the second busiest in Scotland, after Edinburgh Airport, and the eighth busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It was the first airport in Scotland to handle over one million passengers in one month, in July 2004.[4]

There are plans for expansion of the airport, with passenger numbers expected to reach over 24 million per annum by 2030.[citation needed]

The airport is owned and operated by BAA, which also owns and operates five other UK airports,[5] and is itself owned by ADI Limited, an international consortium, which includes Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and GIC Special Investments, that is led by the Spanish Ferrovial Group.[6]

The Airport is a base for airlines such as BMI Regional, EasyJet, Flybe and Loganair, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways, and also houses maintenance facilities for British Airways.

The other international airport branded as a Glasgow destination is Glasgow Prestwick Airport, situated 32 miles (51 km) from the city centre, serving mainly low cost and cargo airlines.

History

The history of the present Glasgow Airport goes back to 1932, when the site at Abbotsinch, between the Black Cart Water and the White Cart Water, near Paisley in Renfrewshire, was opened and the Royal Air Force 602 Squadron (City of Glasgow) Auxiliary Air Force moved its Wapiti IIA aircraft from nearby Renfrew in January 1933.[7] The RAF Station HQ, however, was not formed until 1 July 1936 when 6 Auxiliary Group, Bomber Command, arrived.[7] From May 1939, until moving away in October 1939, the Squadron flew the Supermarine Spitfire.

1940

In 1940, a torpedo training unit was formed, which trained both RAF and Royal Navy crews.[7] On 11 August 1943 Abbotsinch was handed over solely to the Royal Navy and it became a naval base. All Her Majesty's Ships and naval bases are given names and Abbotsinch's was known as HMS Sanderling since June 1940.[7] During the 1950s, the airfield housed a large aircraft storage unit and squadrons of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

The Royal Navy left in October 1963.[7] The name Sanderling was however retained as a link between the two: HMS Sanderling's ship's bell was presented to the new airport and a bar in the airport was named The Sanderling Bar.

1960s
BMI landing from London Heathrow Airport

In the 1960s, Glasgow Corporation decided that a new airport for the city was required. The original site of Glasgow's main airport was 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Abbotsinch, in what is now the Dean Park area of Renfrew. The original Art Deco terminal building of Renfrew Airport has not survived. The site is now occupied by a Tesco supermarket and the M8 motorway; this straight and level section of motorway occupies the site of the main runway.[8]

Abbotsinch took over from Renfrew airport on 2 May 1966.[7][8] The UK Government had already committed millions into rebuilding Prestwick Airport fit for the "jet age". Nevertheless, the plan went forward and the new airport, designed by Basil Spence and built at a cost of £4.2 million, was completed in 1966, with British European Airways beginning services using De Havilland Comet aircraft.

The first commercial flight to arrive was a British European Airways flight from Edinburgh, landing at 8 am on 2 May 1966. The airport was officially opened on 27 June 1966 by Queen Elizabeth II. The political rows over Glasgow and Prestwick airports continued, with Prestwick enjoying a monopoly over transatlantic traffic, while Glasgow Airport was only allowed to handle UK and intra-European traffic.

1970s to date
Continental Airlines landing from Newark

In 1975, the British Airports Authority (BAA) took ownership of Glasgow Airport. When BAA was privatised in the late 1980s, as BAA plc, it consolidated its airport portfolio and sold Prestwick airport. The restrictions on Glasgow Airport were lifted and the transatlantic operators immediately moved from Prestwick, Glasgow Airport being renamed Glasgow International Airport. BAA embarked on a massive redevelopment plan for Glasgow International Airport in 1989.

An extended terminal building was created by building the new structure so that the original Basil Spence building is actually inside it. The original concrete arches which once looked onto Caledonia Road now form the facade of the check-in area. Glasgow International Airport now has 38 gates, bringing its capacity up to nine million passengers per year. In 2003, BAA completed redevelopment work on a satellite building (called "T2", formerly the St. Andrews Building), in order to provide a dedicated check-in facility for low cost airlines, principally EasyJet and Thomas Cook Airlines.

By 1996, Glasgow International was handling over 5.5 million passengers per annum, making it the fourth largest airport in the UK.[9]

Today

A Loganair, operating as a franchise of British Airways, SAAB 340B, at the airport

The terminal has three piers: West (International), Central (Domestic) and East (Low-cost, Ireland & Scottish islands).

The Central Pier, which was part of the original 1966 building, is now used for domestic destinations. British Airways is based in the 1971 extension to the end of the pier, with Heathrow and Gatwick shuttles making up most of its traffic. There are two BA Executive Club lounges. BMI and Flybe also use the Central Pier.

The East Pier, constructed in the mid 1970s, was originally used for international flights but in recent years has been redeveloped for use by EasyJet and Loganair as well as some charters. Most flights to Ireland and Northern Ireland also use this pier. None of the stands on this pier are provided with airbridges. The major users of this pier are Aer Lingus, Loganair and EasyJet.

Boeing 777-300ER landing

The West Pier, built as part of the 1989 extension project, is the principal international and long haul departure point, with some gates capable of handling Boeing 747 aircraft. The largest aircraft currently regularly using the airport are the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER. In early 2006 a redevelopment of the International Departure Lounge took place including the provision of a new business/premium lounge.

Work commenced in late 2007,[10] on Skyhub (located between the Main Terminal and Terminal 2)[11] which will include a new purpose built security search area, replacing the existing three security areas – through which all departing passengers will pass – and new bars, shops and restaurants. The new facility opened in late 2008.

Further growth is hampered by the airport's location, which is constrained by the M8 motorway to the south, the town of Renfrew to the east and the River Clyde to the north. At present the towns of Clydebank, Bearsden and Linwood all sit directly underneath the approach paths into the airport, meaning that further increases in traffic may be politically sensitive. Glasgow International also faces stiff competition from Prestwick Airport, which has reinvented itself as a low-cost hub for budget airlines and which has a direct rail link to Central Glasgow. The Scottish Executive announced in 2002 that a rail line - known as the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) - would be built from Glasgow Central station to Glasgow International Airport. The rail link was to be completed by 2012 with the first trains running early in 2013. In 2009, however, it was by the Scottish Government that the plan had been cancelled.[12]

Currently, the airport is easily accessed by road due to the adjoining M8 motorway and is served by a frequent and dedicated express bus (the "Glasgow Flyer") from the city centre. The service is run by Arriva under contract to BAA.

The airport is home to the Scottish regional airline Loganair, currently a Flybe franchise operator, who have hangar facilities as well as their head office located on site. British Airways has a maintenance hangar at the airport, capable of carrying out overhaul work on Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, as well as a cargo facility.

The Royal Air Force also has a unit based within the airport - The Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron - to provide flying training to university students who plan to join the RAF.

In 2007 Glasgow International became the second busiest airport in Scotland as passenger numbers were surpassed by those at Edinburgh Airport.

Future plans

Tail fins at the international pier

In 2005 BAA published a consultation paper[13] for the future development of the airport. The consultation paper included proposals for a second runway parallel to and to the north-west of the existing runway 05/23; redevelopment and enlargement of the East (Low-cost) pier to connect directly with Terminal 2; and an additional International Pier to the west of the existing International Pier. There were plans for a new rail terminal, joined to the airport's passenger terminal and multi-storey car park. On 29 November 2006 the Scottish Parliament gave the go-ahead for the new railway station as part of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link to Glasgow Central station, originally due for completion in 2011. However on 17 September 2009, due to escalating costs, the project was cancelled by the Scottish Government.[14]

BAA's plans, which are expected to cost some £290 million over the next 25 years, come in response to a forecasted trebling of annual passenger numbers passing through the airport by 2030. The current figure of 8.8 million passengers passing through the airport is expected to rise to more than 24 million by 2030.

Airlines and destinations

A Thomas Cook Boeing 757-200 at Glasgow International Airport, Scotland. (2006)
BAe 146 in the colours of an internet gaming company. Glasgow International Airport (2006)
File:Loganair saab white.jpg
Loganair SAAB 340A in the "albino" colour scheme. Glasgow International Airport, Scotland.
A Thomsonfly Boeing 767-300ER at Glasgow International Airport. (2006)
AirlinesDestinationsTerminal
Aer ArannDonegal 1
Aer Lingus Regional operated by
Aer Arann
Cork, Dublin 2
Air EuropaLanzarote, Tenerife-South 1
Air MaltaMalta 1
Air SouthwestNewquay, Plymouth 1
Air TransatToronto-Pearson 1
BH AirBurgas [seasonal], Varna [seasonal] 1
BMILondon-Heathrow 1
BMI RegionalCopenhagen, Leeds/Bradford 1
BmibabyEast Midlands, Birmingham 1
British AirwaysLondon-Gatwick, London-Heathrow 1
British Airways operated by BA CityflyerLondon-City 1
Continental AirlinesNewark 1
EasyJetAlicante, Belfast-International, Berlin-Schönefeld, Bristol, Faro [seasonal], Geneva [seasonal], Ibiza [seasonal], London-Gatwick, London-Luton, London-Stansted, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca [seasonal], Paris-Charles de Gaulle 2
EmiratesDubai 1
EurocypriaCyprus-Larnaca, Heraklion 1
FlybeBelfast-City, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Guernsey, Jersey [seasonal], La Rochelle [seasonal], Manchester, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Southampton 1
Flybe operated by LoganairBarra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay, Isle of Man, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree 1
Freebird AirlinesDalaman 1
IberworldIbiza, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 1
IcelandairReykjavík-Keflavík 1
KLMAmsterdam 1
KLM operated by KLM CityhopperAmsterdam 1
Pakistan International AirlinesLahore 1
SpanairPalma de Mallorca [seasonal] 1
SunExpressAntalya 1
Thomas Cook AirlinesAlicante, Antalya, Banjul, Bodrum, Burgas, Calgary, Cancún, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Grenoble, Heraklion, Ibiza, Kos, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Mahón, Málaga, Malta, Monastir, Orlando-Sanford, Palma, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Reus, Rhodes, Rovaniemi, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Zakynthos 2
Thomson AirwaysAlicante, Antalya, Boa Vista [begins 1 May 2011; seasonal],[15] Bodrum, Burgas, Cancún, Cape Verde, Corfu , Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Geneva, Heraklion, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Larnaca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Minorca, Monastir, Naples, Orlando-Sanford, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana [begins 14 May 2011; seasonal],[16] Reus, Rhode, Salzburg, Sharm el-Sheikh, Tenerife-South, Verona, Zakynthos 1
Turkuaz AirlinesAntalya 1
US AirwaysPhiladelphia [seasonal] 1
Viking AirlinesAlicante [seasonal] Corfu [seasonal], Dalaman [seasonal], Faro [seasonal], Fuerteventura [seasonal], Heraklion [seasonal], Lanzarote [seasonal], Las Palmas [seasonal], Malaga [seasonal], Palma [seasonal], Paphos [seasonal], Rhodes [seasonal], Tenerife-South [seasonal], Zante [seasonal] 1
Virgin Atlantic AirwaysOrlando [seasonal] 2

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Feeder operated by Air Contractors Dublin, London-Stansted, Manchester, Paris-Charles de Gaulle

2009 traffic statistics

Busiest International Routes out of Glasgow International Airport (2009)[17]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % Change Airlines
1  Netherlands - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 274,402 Decrease-13 KLM
2  Spain Tenerife South Airport 257,828 Decrease-13 Air Europa, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
3  United Arab Emirates - Dubai International Airport 244,486 Increase+2 Emirates
4  Spain - Alicante Airport 209,224 Decrease-17 EasyJet, Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
5  Spain - Palma de Mallorca Airport 204,368 Decrease-24 EasyJet
6  Spain - Málaga Airport 180,052 Decrease-10 EasyJet, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
7  France - Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport 132,620 Increase+12 EasyJet, Flybe
8  Turkey - Dalaman Airport 118,710 Decrease-1 Freebird Airlines, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Airways and Viking Airlines
9  Portugal - Faro Airport 117,006 Decrease-21 EasyJet, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
10  Ireland - Dublin Airport 112,611 Decrease-33 Aer Lingus Regional
11  United States -Newark Liberty International Airport 108,314 Decrease-2 Continental Airlines
12  Spain - Lanzarote Airport 104,286 Decrease-24 Thomson Airways and Viking Airlines
13  Spain - Gran Canaria Airport 101,701 Decrease-9 Iberworld, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
14  United States - Orlando Sanford International Airport 92,451 Decrease-19 Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
15  Cyprus - Paphos International Airport 76,267 Decrease-7 Eurocypria Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Airways and Viking Airlines
16  Germany - Berlin Schönefeld Airport 75,071 Decrease-18 EasyJet
17  Egypt - Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport 63,093 Increase+29 Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
18  Spain - Ibiza Airport 75,071 Decrease-5 Easy Jet, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways
19  Canada - Toronto Pearson Airport 60,006 Decrease-30 Air Transat and Thomas Cook Airlines
20  Turkey - Milas-Bodrum Airport 59,450 Decrease-2 Onur Air, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways

Accidents and incidents

  • On 3 September 1999, a Cessna 404 carrying nine Airtours staff from Glasgow to Aberdeen on a transfer flight, crashed minutes after take off near the town of Linwood, Renfrewshire. Eight people were killed and three seriously injured. No one on the ground was hurt. A fatal accident inquiry into the accident later found that the aircraft developed an engine malfunction during take off. Although the captain decided to return to the airfield, he mistakenly identified the working engine as the faulty one and shut it down, causing the aircraft to crash.
GlasgowFlyer

Ground transport

The airport is currently linked to Glasgow City Centre by Glasgow Flyer bus service 500. This is run by Arriva Scotland West under contract to BAA. Started in 2007, the service runs 24 hours a day, direct via the M8 motorway. Previously, Arriva and Fairline Coaches ran this service as route 905, under contract to Scottish Citylink, and this ended following the introduction of the Flyer. Fairline later introduced a new Glasgow Airport Link service using the old route 905 number, but this has since been dropped and replaced by First Bus on the 747 route

Bus service

Bus Stop 1
Bus Stop 2
Bus Stop 3

Notes

  1. ^ Glasgow - EGPF
  2. ^ UK Airport Statistics: 2009 - annual
  3. ^ BAA Glasgow: Contact Us
  4. ^ Air Passengers by Type and Nationality of Operator July 2004 & Air Passengers by Type and Nationality of Operator June 2004
  5. ^ UK airports owned and operated by BAA
  6. ^ BAA: "Who we are"
  7. ^ a b c d e f Smith, Abbotsinch
  8. ^ a b Smith, Renfrew
  9. ^ CAA Terminal & Transit Passengers at UK Airports - 1996
  10. ^ "Skyhub ready for take-off as construction phase begins". Retrieved 2007-10-30.
  11. ^ "Glasgow Airport aiming sky high with £30m expansion". Retrieved 2007-10-30.
  12. ^ Ministers scrap airport rail plan
  13. ^ consultation paper
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ Thomson Airways Timetable - Glasgow to Boa Vista
  16. ^ Thomson Airways Timetable - Glasgow to Punta Cana
  17. ^ Table 12 1 Intl Air Pax Route Analysis 2009

References

  • Smith, David J (1983). Action Stations. Volume 7: Military airfields of Scotland, the North-East and Northern Ireland. Cambridge: Patrick Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-563-0.