Bournemouth Airport
Encyclopedia
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located 3.5 NM north-northeast of Bournemouth
, in southern England
. Bournemouth Airport opened as RAF Hurn in 1941 and began commercial services in the late 1950s, with Palmair
commencing flights to Majorca in October 1958.
Subsequently Ryanair
and Thomson Airways
based aircraft at the airport, with scheduled flights now frequently serving Western Europe and the Mediterranean area, with charter and seasonal services serving North Africa, North America and the Caribbean. Passenger numbers peaked in 2007 when just over 1 million passed through the airport, however this fell to around 750,000 in 2010.
On 25 November 2008, Bournemouth Airport was ranked best airport in the United Kingdom and 3rd best in the world, after Singapore Changi Airport
and Hong Kong International Airport
, by the Daily Telegraph Travel Awards.
Bournemouth Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (number P736) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. As of September 2010, Ryanair
and Thomson Airways
remain the primary users of the airport.
village in the Borough of Christchurch
, 4 miles (6 km) north of Bournemouth, 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the A338 and approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south west of London. The airport is accessible via the A31
from the M27
and M3 motorway
to the east, and via the A35
to the west.
The nearest other airports serving the area are Exeter International Airport
and Southampton Airport
.
on 1 August 1941, during World War II
. It was used for paratroop training and as a glider base before the North African Landings
in 1943. Prior to D-Day
, it was the base of 570 Squadron
, who landed agents and dropped supplies to the French Resistance
. The hardened runways of the airfield saw extensive use by United States Army Air Forces
in the preparations for D-Day and the subsequent Battle of Normandy
. It was also the home base of 84 Group, RAF Second Tactical Air Force
, comprising nine squadrons of Typhoons
, who flew daily to France supporting ground forces.
From November 1944 the airfield took over from Bristol
's Whitchurch airport
as the main operating base for British Overseas Airways Corporation
until Heathrow
fully opened in 1948. Starting in October 1945 Hurn served as London's transatlantic airport until Heathrow opened to the airlines in mid-1946. It was the starting point of the first England-Australia landplane service, which took three days in Avro Lancastrian
s (modified Lancaster bombers). The airport served Accra, Cairo, Calcutta, Johannesburg, New York, Sydney and Washington D.C.
charter from the airport, using a single 36 seat Viking
aircraft destined for Palma de Mallorca
. The service was one of the first charter flights in the United Kingdom.
, then Viscounts
and eventually, as the British Aircraft Corporation
, the BAC One-Eleven
.
Nearly all Vickers Viscounts & BAC 1-11s were built at this site. Some of the development of the ill-fated TSR-2 was also done here (but assembly and testing was at Warton
, Lancs), as well as the production of a number of parts for Concorde
. The closure of the BAC site in the 1980s saw an end to Bournemouth's role as a significant player in the aircraft construction industry. The site of the BAC works now forms one of Dorset's largest industrial sites, including a base for Cobham plc
.
College of Air Traffic Control
Adjacent to the entrance to Bournemouth Airport was the College of Air Traffic Control, operated by NATS, the now privatised provider of air traffic control services in the UK. Established by the Ministry of Civil Aviation as the School of Air Traffic Control in 1949, the establishment was retitled College in 1962. Students from home and abroad were trained in all aspects of ATC operations and went on to work throughout the world. Electronic computer based ATC simulators were widely employed. Usefully situated at an operational airfield, for a considerable period training in Approach Radar Control was facilitated by the airport ATC unit. Students were able to practice live radar control exercises using temporarily detached Civil Aviation Flying Unit Dove aircraft as live targets. The building was also the home to the Air Traffic Control Evaluation Unit, responsible for developing technology used within the service. During 2011 NATS transferred ATC training to its headquarters facility at Whiteley near Southampton. The airport facility is now closed awaiting its fate.
began services.
wet leased its first aircraft and European Aviation Air Charter
(EAC) started operations. In 1995, the airport was sold to National Express Group
and then, in March 2001, was acquired by the Manchester Airports Group, the largest UK-owned airport group.
In 1996, a new extension to the main runway was officially opened by the arrival of Concorde. Bath Travel chartered Concorde for supersonic champagne lunches across the Bay of Biscay. Ryanair also began services from Bournemouth to Dublin with one of its Boeing 737-200.
Since 2001, a Boeing 747SP
has been based at the airport which is used by the Royal Family of Qatar
and other VIP government staff from the Middle East
. The aircraft is often stored in the former BASCO building (Hangar 12) and is a regular visitor to Zürich Airport and London Heathrow Airport.
In 2003, EAC acquired six Boeing 747-200s from British Airways, with the intention of operating long haul holidays from the airport. Due to financial difficulties, these aircraft were scrapped in 2005.
Bath Travel's Palmair remained the prime user of the airport, with a 737-200 permanently based there. In 2005 Thomsonfly
became the first major low cost airline to establish a hub at Bournemouth; allocating two Boeing 737-300 aircraft for low-cost scheduled services to Europe and in 2008 to the Caribbean. Also in 2005, Air Berlin
and EasyJet
began services by announcing routes to Paderborn and Geneva respectively. Air Berlin
have now ceased operations at the airport. The airport previously had a daily service to the Channel Islands
provided by the Jersey-based Blue Islands
airline, which withdrew from Bournemouth in April 2009. Polish-based Wizzair also ran routes to Gdansk, Katowice and Krakow during 2006 and 2007.
, Alicante
, and Milan
which brought the total to 8. In December, 2007, EasyJet
announced a new seasonal route to Grenoble, bring the number of routes to 2. The route ceased at the end of the 2008 winter season. In 2008, Palmair
introduced a new series of charter flights to Tunisia
, Fuerteventura
, Naples
, Amalfi Coast
and Rhodes
. Olympic Holidays also launched new charter flights to Corfu
and Zakynthos
in Greece
and Larnaca
in Cyprus
.
On 9 January 2008, Ryanair announced that they would base one of their Boeing 737-800s at Bournemouth from April 2008. During the first quarter, the airline announced routes to Málaga
, Murcia
, Palma de Mallorca
, Wroclaw
and the re-introduction of the Nantes
route. An additional flight each day was added to the Glasgow Prestwick route, with the addition of a twice-daily flight to Edinburgh
. In May, Bergamo
and Beauvais
routes were announced to commence in October plus a new weekly ski flight to Turin for the winter season.
Increasing from 14 routes, after the discontinuation of the Nantes route, to 18 - Carcassonne
, Faro
, Limoges
and Reus
were added to the route network in February 2009.
June 2009 saw the announcement of a new Thomson Airways Boeing 737-800 to be based at the airport to add extra capacity to existing routes, plus the introduction of 5 new routes. The new destinations include Antalya, Bodrum, Corfu, Monastir and the airport's first regular long-haul destination, Sharm el-Sheikh.
In July 2009 the airport's busiest route to Glasgow-Prestwick was discontinued and an announcement soon followed to discontinue the Edinburgh route which ended on 27 March 2010.
In December 2009 bmibaby
announced a new summer route to Jersey. This will be the first time the airline has operated out of the airport and will provide 3 services a week from the end of March 2010, using a Boeing 737-500.
Again in December, Ryanair added 4 new routes to the network, bringing the total to 17. Another Boeing 737-800 will be based at the airport and the airline projects to fly 650,000 passengers per annum at Bournemouth.
Ryanair has at various time periods operated from Bournemouth to: Glasgow Prestwick, Edinburgh, Dublin, Malta, Milan Bergamo, Frankfurt Hahn, Nantes, Paris, Wroclaw, Limoges, Madrid and Barcelona Reus, none of these routes still operate.
Following the closure of European Aviation Air Charter
, Palmair chartered various aircraft types from Jet2, Viking, Blue Line, Tor Air and Astraeus, before unveiling their new Astraeus-leased Boeing 737-500 (G-PJPJ) on 13 May 2009.
On 11 February 2010, Flybe announced that it is to start flights from Manchester to Bournemouth, linking up two airports of the Manchester Airport Group for the first time. These flights will start from 27 May 2010 and will be in direct competition to Flybe's own Manchester to Southampton flights. This route has now been cancelled (Oct 2010 BBC News) and is currently under review.
From 1st November 2011, Blue Islands
will recommence scheduled services to Guernsey & Jersey.
With the budget increased to £45 million in July 2008, the upgrade will replace the arrivals terminal and upgrade the check-in and departure lounge areas. The number of aircraft stands would rise from 4 to 11. Christchurch Council and central government backed plans for the re-building of the airport terminal, increasing its size by 62%; work started in August 2007.
The development re-started in August 2008 with the runway being resurfaced, and a new Thales Cat IIIa ILS
on Runway 26 with associated aerodrome ground lighting and IRVR
were installed during December 2008. The main apron has been expanded to a total of 11 stands for aircraft of Boeing 737-800 size, including two stands for aircraft of Boeing 767-300 size, and construction of a car park towards the south boundary is complete.
Work on the terminal itself is now complete, where the check-in areas, security control and departure lounges have been upgraded. A new World Duty Free store has opened on the airside, as have a new WHSmith store and the UK's largest The Olive Tree eaterie. All remaining retail space has since been completed and opened.
The new arrivals hall is being constructed in preparation for Summer 2011. This will be an innovative structure, with 70% less CO2 emissions than the previous design and is, we believe, the first airport building of its type in the UK. The design of the new arrivals hall takes advantage of the building’s orientation to make maximum possible use of solar gain, solar shading, daylight and natural ventilation. These measures will reduce the need for mechanical and electrical installations which, in turn, will reduce the building’s energy requirements .
Other improvements to the infrastructure around the airport include more frequent bus services to Bournemouth Interchange and traffic lights at the entrance to the airport have been constructed. Hurn village roundabout will also be revised.
(*Believed to be erroneous)
Passenger numbers peaked at over 1 million in 2007, but fell to around 750,000 by 2010.
D-ANEF of Airwork Services
was damaged beyond repair when the undercarriage collapsed after a heavy landing.
Shortly after 17:00 on 11 February 2006, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett
made an emergency landing at Bournemouth International Airport, after completing the longest non-stop flight in history, having covered 25766 miles (41,466.3 km) in 76 hours and 43 minutes. Fossett had planned to end his flight 144 miles (231.7 km) further away at Kent International Airport
, but the failure of an electrical generator on board the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer forced him to issue a Mayday
call and land in limited visibility, bursting two tyres as he touched down.
Between 15 April and 21 April 2010, Bournemouth Airport was closed to IFR Traffic as a result of the volcanic eruptions by Eyjafjallajökull
volcano in Iceland. The eruptions caused severe disruptions to services as the UK government deemed it necessary to close air space until ash ejected into the stratosphere
had subsided. It was originally feared that disruptions could continue as the last eruption lasted around 16 months. Services resumed on 22 April. Despite this VFR Traffic continued and Bournemouth Airport became the busiest airport during this period as it has a large general aviation clientele.
s. In early March 2009, Manchester Airport Developments Ltd completed the construction of Cirrus Court, a development of 14 industrial units which is the first part of a number of phases to redevelop the northern aviation sector.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Bournemouth Airport opened as RAF Hurn in 1941 and began commercial services in the late 1950s, with Palmair
Palmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
commencing flights to Majorca in October 1958.
Subsequently Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
and Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
based aircraft at the airport, with scheduled flights now frequently serving Western Europe and the Mediterranean area, with charter and seasonal services serving North Africa, North America and the Caribbean. Passenger numbers peaked in 2007 when just over 1 million passed through the airport, however this fell to around 750,000 in 2010.
On 25 November 2008, Bournemouth Airport was ranked best airport in the United Kingdom and 3rd best in the world, after Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
and Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
, by the Daily Telegraph Travel Awards.
Bournemouth Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (number P736) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. As of September 2010, Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
and Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
remain the primary users of the airport.
Location
Bournemouth Airport is situated on the edge of HurnHurn
Hurn is a village in southeast Dorset, England, between the River Stour and River Avon in the borough of Christchurch, five miles north east of the Bournemouth town centre. As of 2001, the village has a population of 468. The village is the location of Bournemouth Airport , an important airfield...
village in the Borough of Christchurch
Christchurch, Dorset
Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in...
, 4 miles (6 km) north of Bournemouth, 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the A338 and approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south west of London. The airport is accessible via the A31
A31 road
The A31 is a major trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset.-Route of road:The road begins in the centre of Guildford, meeting the A3 road before running south west along the Hog's Back. It continues past Farnham, Alton and New Alresford before...
from the M27
M27 motorway
The M27 is a motorway in Hampshire, England. It is long and runs west-east from Cadnam to Portsmouth. It was opened in stages between 1975 and 1983. It is however unfinished as an extension to the east was planned...
and M3 motorway
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
to the east, and via the A35
A35 road
The A35 is a trunk road in southern England, running from Honiton in Devon, that then passes through Dorset and terminates in Southampton, Hampshire...
to the west.
The nearest other airports serving the area are Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport is an airport located at Clyst Honiton in the District of East Devon close to the city of Exeter and within the county of Devon, South West England....
and Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport is the 20th largest airport in the UK, located north north-east of Southampton, in the Borough of Eastleigh within Hampshire, England....
.
1940s
Bournemouth Airport began as RAF HurnRAF Hurn
RAF Station Hurn is a former World War II airfield in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately north east of Christchurch; about southwest of LondonOpened in 1941, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force...
on 1 August 1941, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was used for paratroop training and as a glider base before the North African Landings
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
in 1943. Prior to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, it was the base of 570 Squadron
No. 570 Squadron RAF
No. 570 Squadron RAF was a bomber unit active within No. 38 Group RAF as an airborne, bomber support and special operations squadron during World War II.-History:...
, who landed agents and dropped supplies to the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. The hardened runways of the airfield saw extensive use by United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
in the preparations for D-Day and the subsequent Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. It was also the home base of 84 Group, RAF Second Tactical Air Force
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The former RAF Second Tactical Air Force was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force during and after the Second World War...
, comprising nine squadrons of Typhoons
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
, who flew daily to France supporting ground forces.
From November 1944 the airfield took over from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
's Whitchurch airport
Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport
Bristol Airport, also known as Whitchurch Airport, was a municipal airport in Bristol, England, three miles south of the city centre, from 1930 to 1957. It was the main airport for Bristol and area...
as the main operating base for British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
until Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
fully opened in 1948. Starting in October 1945 Hurn served as London's transatlantic airport until Heathrow opened to the airlines in mid-1946. It was the starting point of the first England-Australia landplane service, which took three days in Avro Lancastrian
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
s (modified Lancaster bombers). The airport served Accra, Cairo, Calcutta, Johannesburg, New York, Sydney and Washington D.C.
1950s
1958 saw the first PalmairPalmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
charter from the airport, using a single 36 seat Viking
Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
aircraft destined for Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
. The service was one of the first charter flights in the United Kingdom.
Aircraft manufacture
Vickers-Armstrongs took over some ex-BOAC hangars at Hurn in 1951 and started production of VarsitiesVickers Varsity
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.* Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 21st edition, 2008. ISBN 9-780859-791342....
, then Viscounts
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
and eventually, as the British Aircraft Corporation
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
, the BAC One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
.
Nearly all Vickers Viscounts & BAC 1-11s were built at this site. Some of the development of the ill-fated TSR-2 was also done here (but assembly and testing was at Warton
Warton Aerodrome
Warton Aerodrome is located near to Warton village on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. The aerodrome is west of Preston, Lancashire, UK.Today the airfield is a major assembly and testing facility of BAE Systems Military Air Solutions....
, Lancs), as well as the production of a number of parts for Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
. The closure of the BAC site in the 1980s saw an end to Bournemouth's role as a significant player in the aircraft construction industry. The site of the BAC works now forms one of Dorset's largest industrial sites, including a base for Cobham plc
Cobham plc
Cobham plc is a British manufacturing company based in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
.
College of Air Traffic Control
Adjacent to the entrance to Bournemouth Airport was the College of Air Traffic Control, operated by NATS, the now privatised provider of air traffic control services in the UK. Established by the Ministry of Civil Aviation as the School of Air Traffic Control in 1949, the establishment was retitled College in 1962. Students from home and abroad were trained in all aspects of ATC operations and went on to work throughout the world. Electronic computer based ATC simulators were widely employed. Usefully situated at an operational airfield, for a considerable period training in Approach Radar Control was facilitated by the airport ATC unit. Students were able to practice live radar control exercises using temporarily detached Civil Aviation Flying Unit Dove aircraft as live targets. The building was also the home to the Air Traffic Control Evaluation Unit, responsible for developing technology used within the service. During 2011 NATS transferred ATC training to its headquarters facility at Whiteley near Southampton. The airport facility is now closed awaiting its fate.
1960s
In 1969 the airport was purchased jointly by the Bournemouth Corporation and Dorset County Council and renamed as "Bournemouth Airport" (later to become Bournemouth International Airport). The new owners decided to redevelop the facility as a commercial airport and, by 1980, the airport became used by charter airlines, when European AviationEuropean Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter was an airline based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. It operated ad hoc charter services, VIP flights, and inclusive-tour and sub-charter flights, as well as ACMI wet leases for other airlines. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
began services.
1990s–2000s
In 1993, the airport received its first regular passengers when PalmairPalmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
wet leased its first aircraft and European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter was an airline based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. It operated ad hoc charter services, VIP flights, and inclusive-tour and sub-charter flights, as well as ACMI wet leases for other airlines. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
(EAC) started operations. In 1995, the airport was sold to National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
and then, in March 2001, was acquired by the Manchester Airports Group, the largest UK-owned airport group.
In 1996, a new extension to the main runway was officially opened by the arrival of Concorde. Bath Travel chartered Concorde for supersonic champagne lunches across the Bay of Biscay. Ryanair also began services from Bournemouth to Dublin with one of its Boeing 737-200.
Since 2001, a Boeing 747SP
Boeing 747SP
The Boeing 747SP is a modified version of the Boeing 747 jet airliner which was designed for ultra-long-range flights. The SP stands for "Special Performance". Compared with its predecessor, the 747-100, the 747SP retains its wide-body, four-engine layout, along with its double-deck design, but...
has been based at the airport which is used by the Royal Family of Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
and other VIP government staff from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The aircraft is often stored in the former BASCO building (Hangar 12) and is a regular visitor to Zürich Airport and London Heathrow Airport.
In 2003, EAC acquired six Boeing 747-200s from British Airways, with the intention of operating long haul holidays from the airport. Due to financial difficulties, these aircraft were scrapped in 2005.
Bath Travel's Palmair remained the prime user of the airport, with a 737-200 permanently based there. In 2005 Thomsonfly
Thomsonfly
Thomsonfly was a British airline, previously known as Britannia and a business within TUI UK prior to September 2007. Following TUI UK merging with First Choice Holidays in September 2007 it became part of TUI Travel PLC...
became the first major low cost airline to establish a hub at Bournemouth; allocating two Boeing 737-300 aircraft for low-cost scheduled services to Europe and in 2008 to the Caribbean. Also in 2005, Air Berlin
Air Berlin
Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG is Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa, and Europe's sixth largest airline in terms of passengers....
and EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
began services by announcing routes to Paderborn and Geneva respectively. Air Berlin
Air Berlin
Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG is Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa, and Europe's sixth largest airline in terms of passengers....
have now ceased operations at the airport. The airport previously had a daily service to the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
provided by the Jersey-based Blue Islands
Blue Islands
Blue Islands Limited is an airline of the Channel Islands. Its head office is in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, and its registered office is in Saint Anne, Alderney. It operates scheduled services from and within the Channel Islands and the UK and the Isle of Man...
airline, which withdrew from Bournemouth in April 2009. Polish-based Wizzair also ran routes to Gdansk, Katowice and Krakow during 2006 and 2007.
Current routes
In 2007, Ryanair began to rapidly increase the number of services from the airport, initially starting routes to MarseilleMarseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, and Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
which brought the total to 8. In December, 2007, EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
announced a new seasonal route to Grenoble, bring the number of routes to 2. The route ceased at the end of the 2008 winter season. In 2008, Palmair
Palmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
introduced a new series of charter flights to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura , a Spanish island, is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is situated at 28°20' north, 14°00' west. At 1,660 km² it is the second largest of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
-In popular culture:The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in "Positano," a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953...
and Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
. Olympic Holidays also launched new charter flights to Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
and Zakynthos
Zakynthos
Zakynthos , also Zante, the other form often used in English and in Italian , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It covers an area of ...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
On 9 January 2008, Ryanair announced that they would base one of their Boeing 737-800s at Bournemouth from April 2008. During the first quarter, the airline announced routes to Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
, Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
and the re-introduction of the Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
route. An additional flight each day was added to the Glasgow Prestwick route, with the addition of a twice-daily flight to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. In May, Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
and Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
routes were announced to commence in October plus a new weekly ski flight to Turin for the winter season.
Increasing from 14 routes, after the discontinuation of the Nantes route, to 18 - Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
, Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
and Reus
Reus
Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
were added to the route network in February 2009.
June 2009 saw the announcement of a new Thomson Airways Boeing 737-800 to be based at the airport to add extra capacity to existing routes, plus the introduction of 5 new routes. The new destinations include Antalya, Bodrum, Corfu, Monastir and the airport's first regular long-haul destination, Sharm el-Sheikh.
In July 2009 the airport's busiest route to Glasgow-Prestwick was discontinued and an announcement soon followed to discontinue the Edinburgh route which ended on 27 March 2010.
In December 2009 bmibaby
Bmibaby
Bmibaby Limited is a small British low-cost airline and a subsidiary of British Midland International. It flies to destinations in the UK and Europe from its bases at Belfast-City, Birmingham and East Midlands airports....
announced a new summer route to Jersey. This will be the first time the airline has operated out of the airport and will provide 3 services a week from the end of March 2010, using a Boeing 737-500.
Again in December, Ryanair added 4 new routes to the network, bringing the total to 17. Another Boeing 737-800 will be based at the airport and the airline projects to fly 650,000 passengers per annum at Bournemouth.
Ryanair has at various time periods operated from Bournemouth to: Glasgow Prestwick, Edinburgh, Dublin, Malta, Milan Bergamo, Frankfurt Hahn, Nantes, Paris, Wroclaw, Limoges, Madrid and Barcelona Reus, none of these routes still operate.
Following the closure of European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter
European Aviation Air Charter was an airline based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. It operated ad hoc charter services, VIP flights, and inclusive-tour and sub-charter flights, as well as ACMI wet leases for other airlines. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
, Palmair chartered various aircraft types from Jet2, Viking, Blue Line, Tor Air and Astraeus, before unveiling their new Astraeus-leased Boeing 737-500 (G-PJPJ) on 13 May 2009.
On 11 February 2010, Flybe announced that it is to start flights from Manchester to Bournemouth, linking up two airports of the Manchester Airport Group for the first time. These flights will start from 27 May 2010 and will be in direct competition to Flybe's own Manchester to Southampton flights. This route has now been cancelled (Oct 2010 BBC News) and is currently under review.
From 1st November 2011, Blue Islands
Blue Islands
Blue Islands Limited is an airline of the Channel Islands. Its head office is in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, and its registered office is in Saint Anne, Alderney. It operates scheduled services from and within the Channel Islands and the UK and the Isle of Man...
will recommence scheduled services to Guernsey & Jersey.
Expansion
In 2007, the airport's owners, Manchester Airports Group, announced a £32 million investment in the redevelopment of the airport which mainly focuses on creating new car parking spaces in two separate car parks and building a new International Arrivals terminal. Part of these plans include screening off the current arrivals terminal with a three metre screen, with plans to ultimately phase out use of the building. On 21 June 2007, planning permission was granted to the scheme by Christchurch Council Planning Committee, despite public objections and protests. This was conditional, however, on a maximum of three million air passengers per annum, and required contributions to road systems, bus routes, and to use quieter aircraft.With the budget increased to £45 million in July 2008, the upgrade will replace the arrivals terminal and upgrade the check-in and departure lounge areas. The number of aircraft stands would rise from 4 to 11. Christchurch Council and central government backed plans for the re-building of the airport terminal, increasing its size by 62%; work started in August 2007.
The development re-started in August 2008 with the runway being resurfaced, and a new Thales Cat IIIa ILS
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
on Runway 26 with associated aerodrome ground lighting and IRVR
Runway visual range
Runway Visual Range is a term used in aviation meteorology to define the distance over which a pilot of an aircraft on the centreline of the runway can see the runway surface markings delineating the runway or identifying its centre line...
were installed during December 2008. The main apron has been expanded to a total of 11 stands for aircraft of Boeing 737-800 size, including two stands for aircraft of Boeing 767-300 size, and construction of a car park towards the south boundary is complete.
Work on the terminal itself is now complete, where the check-in areas, security control and departure lounges have been upgraded. A new World Duty Free store has opened on the airside, as have a new WHSmith store and the UK's largest The Olive Tree eaterie. All remaining retail space has since been completed and opened.
The new arrivals hall is being constructed in preparation for Summer 2011. This will be an innovative structure, with 70% less CO2 emissions than the previous design and is, we believe, the first airport building of its type in the UK. The design of the new arrivals hall takes advantage of the building’s orientation to make maximum possible use of solar gain, solar shading, daylight and natural ventilation. These measures will reduce the need for mechanical and electrical installations which, in turn, will reduce the building’s energy requirements .
Other improvements to the infrastructure around the airport include more frequent bus services to Bournemouth Interchange and traffic lights at the entrance to the airport have been constructed. Hurn village roundabout will also be revised.
Airlines and destinations
Cargo
Passenger statistics
| Number of Movements | Passengers Change YoY |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 460,872 | 76,177 | 17.6% | |
| 2004 | 492,882 | 77,142 | 6.9% | |
| 2005 | 829,108 | 79,512 | 68.2% | |
| 2006 | 960,773 | 75,505 | 15.9% | |
| 2007 | 1,083,379 | 71,742 | 12.8% | |
| 2008 | 1,078,941 | 78,527 | 0.1% | |
| 2009 | 868,445 | 82,538 | 19.5% | |
| 2010 | 751,331 | 41,593* | 13.7% | |
| Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority The Civil Aviation Authority is the public corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of aviation in the United Kingdom. The CAA head office is located in the CAA House on Kingsway in Holborn, London Borough of Camden... |
||||
(*Believed to be erroneous)
Passenger numbers peaked at over 1 million in 2007, but fell to around 750,000 by 2010.
Route statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled | % Change 2008 / 09 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - Edinburgh Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements... |
88,376 | 358 |
| 2 |  Spain - GironaGirona-Costa Brava Airport Girona-Costa Brava Airport is an airport located southwest of the city of Girona, next to the small village of Vilobí d'Onyar, in the north-east of Catalonia, Spain... |
85,600 | 18 |
| 3 | Spain - Málaga Málaga Airport Málaga Airport , also known as Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is an important airport for Spanish tourism as it is the main international airport serving the Costa Del Sol.... |
81,270 | 28 |
| 4 | - Dublin Dublin Airport Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon... |
63,476 | 37 |
| 5 | Spain - Palma de Mallorca Palma de Mallorca Airport Palma de Mallorca Airport is an airport located east of Palma, Majorca, adjacent to the village of Can Pastilla. Also known as Son Sant Joan Airport or Aeroport de Son Sant Joan, it is the third largest airport in Spain, after Madrid's Barajas Airport and Barcelona Airport... |
62,245 | 21 |
| 6 | Spain - Alicante Alicante Airport Alicante Airport , , originally named El Altet, is the sixth busiest airport in Spain, and the main airport for the Province of Alicante and the Region of Murcia. The airport is situated southwest of Alicante and east of Elche in the municipality of Elche on Mediterranean coast. Up to eighty... |
59,396 | 17 |
| 7 | Spain - Murcia Murcia-San Javier Airport Murcia-San Javier Airport is a military air base and civilian passenger airport located in San Javier, south of Murcia, Spain. It is operated by Aena , the Spanish airport authority.-Operations:The airport can receive aircraft up to the size of Boeing 757 or 767... |
54,880 | 21 |
| 8 | Spain - Tenerife South Tenerife South Airport Tenerife South Airport , previously known as Tenerife South-Reina Sofia Airport, is one of two international airports located on the island of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands . Between its opening and the end of 2006, a total of 173,912,207 passengers passed through the airport... |
40,258 | 19 |
| 9 |  Portugal - FaroFaro Airport -Incidents and accidents:*On 21 December 1992, Martinair Flight 495 skidded off the runway in bad weather at Faro Airport killing 54 passengers and two crew out of a total of 340 people on board.... |
37,395 | 15 |
| 10 | - Glasgow Prestwick | 34,270 | 73 |
| 11 | - Geneva | 28,061 | 16 |
| 12 | Spain - Reus Reus Airport -Incidents and accidents:* On 20 July 1970, a Condor Boeing 737-100 which was approaching Reus Airport, collided with a privately owned Piper Cherokee light aircraft near Tarragona, Spain. The Piper subsequently crashed, resulting in the death of the three persons on board... |
26,979 | |
| 13 |  Italy - Pisa |
17,151 | 27 |
| 14 |  Greece - Heraklion |
15,068 | 2 |
| 15 |  France - Marseille |
12,522 | 26 |
| 16 | France - Limoges |
12,521 | |
| 17 | Spain - Lanzarote |
11,079 | 63 |
| 18 | France - Carcassonne Carcassonne Salvaza Airport Carcassonne Airport is an airport serving Carcassonne and the south of Languedoc. The airport is located on the western edge of the city, from the city center, in the Aude department... |
10,943 | |
| 19 |  Turkey - DalamanDalaman Airport - Traffic Statistics :Source: DHMI.gov.tr... |
9,524 | 13 |
| 20 | Spain - Ibiza Ibiza Airport Ibiza Airport is the airport serving the Balearic islands of Ibiza and Formentera in Spain, used by 95% of all people who arrive at or depart from these two islands... |
8,930 | 44 |
Accidents and incidents
On 28 January 1972, Vickers ViscountVickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
D-ANEF of Airwork Services
Airwork Services
During the post-war period Airwork also further expanded its business into civil aviation. This expansion was financed by its wealthy shareholders, including Lord Cowdray, Whitehall Securities, the Blue Star shipping line, Furness Withy and Thomas Loel Evelyn Bulkeley Guinness.Airwork's other air...
was damaged beyond repair when the undercarriage collapsed after a heavy landing.
Shortly after 17:00 on 11 February 2006, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon...
made an emergency landing at Bournemouth International Airport, after completing the longest non-stop flight in history, having covered 25766 miles (41,466.3 km) in 76 hours and 43 minutes. Fossett had planned to end his flight 144 miles (231.7 km) further away at Kent International Airport
Kent International Airport
Manston - Kent's International Airport is an airport located at Manston in the District of Thanet within Kent, England, northeast of Canterbury. It was formerly called RAF Manston , and was also known as London Manston Airport...
, but the failure of an electrical generator on board the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer forced him to issue a Mayday
Mayday (distress signal)
Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me"....
call and land in limited visibility, bursting two tyres as he touched down.
Between 15 April and 21 April 2010, Bournemouth Airport was closed to IFR Traffic as a result of the volcanic eruptions by Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, situated to the north of Skógar and to the west of Mýrdalsjökull. The ice cap covers the caldera of a volcano with a summit elevation of . The volcano has erupted relatively frequently since the last glacial period, most recently in...
volcano in Iceland. The eruptions caused severe disruptions to services as the UK government deemed it necessary to close air space until ash ejected into the stratosphere
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler...
had subsided. It was originally feared that disruptions could continue as the last eruption lasted around 16 months. Services resumed on 22 April. Despite this VFR Traffic continued and Bournemouth Airport became the busiest airport during this period as it has a large general aviation clientele.
Industrial park
The airport has a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) industrial park, including offices and hangarHangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s. In early March 2009, Manchester Airport Developments Ltd completed the construction of Cirrus Court, a development of 14 industrial units which is the first part of a number of phases to redevelop the northern aviation sector.