Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an important and interesting object in the city. It is one of the oldest in Great Britain. Learn more about its history and features at liverpool-future.com.
Airport and innovation
The airport is closely associated with innovations, as local inventors have always tried to contribute to the development of aviation. The local airfield served as a base for their attempts. It is interesting that today women are also involved in the development of jet aircraft, we wrote about it here. During the Second World War, when the activities of civil airlines ceased, the local underground factory produced bombers.
Brief history of Liverpool Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (formerly Speke Airport) was opened in 1933. However, flights have been taking place from the airfield since 1930. At the beginning of its history, there was a characteristic of that time passenger terminal, a control tower and two large aircraft hangars.
The Second World War, as already mentioned, somewhat limited the airport’s functions to purely military ones. There was a shadow factory on its territory, producing Bristol Blenheim and Handley Page Halifax bombers. The airport was also home to the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit.
When the war was won, civilian flights resumed and the number of passengers increased from 50,000 in 1945 to 75,000 in 1948. At first, the Liverpool Airport jumped ahead of the Manchester’s. However, since Speke Airport came under the ownership of the Ministry of Aviation, its development slowed down for a while. In 1949, Manchester took the leading position and it led to the loss of Liverpool’s only ground-controlled radar approach unit, resulting in certain problems in the operation.
The city regained control of the airport on January 1, 1961, and immediately began developing it. In 1966, its runway was extended to the south-eastern part of the airfield. Its length reached 7,500 feet (2,286 m), thanks to which the airport could serve the business sector around the clock. The number of passengers was constantly increasing, so a new terminal was built to accommodate them. Old buildings could no longer serve their original purposes, so they ceased to be used as they were intended.
Another modern passenger terminal was built in the late 1980s. The old terminal building, which was used until 1986, became a hotel.
In 2001, the airport was renamed in honour of the legendary musician John Lennon from The Beatles, who was born and raised here. By the way, this is the first airport named after a person in Great Britain. Another new terminal was opened in 2002. The Queen was present at the grand opening ceremony. In 2023, the airport served 4.19 million passengers, which made it the 12th busiest in the country.
Features of Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Nowadays, the airport consists of one passenger terminal, three general-purpose hangars, a FedEx Express courier service centre and one runway with a control tower south of it.
There are several shops at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, including a newsstand, an electronics store and a small duty-free section. There is also a currency exchange, ATMs, a prayer room, changing rooms and toilets (for people with disabilities as well).
There are a number of restaurants, cafes and food establishments inside the airport terminal. It features big-name chains like Burger King, Starbucks and Subway, as well as family-friendly places like Frankie & Benny’s. However, if you want just snacks and soft drinks, it will be easier and cheaper to buy them from the vending machines at the check-in desk and in the departure hall.
For those who are afraid of long queues, local developers have provided an interesting innovation. Passengers can book a Fast Track ticket in the terminal. Also, you can purchase a pass to the premium lounge of additional comfort and convenience during travel.
How to get to Liverpool John Lennon Airport?
Liverpool South Parkway railway station is very close to the airport. There are regular minibuses, so-called shuttles, that will take you to and from the airport.
From Liverpool South Parkway, you can take the 80A, 86A and 89 bus routes. They operate seven days a week and run approximately every 20 minutes. It will take you about 15 minutes to get to the airport.
The distance from the airport to the city centre is a little longer, so it takes about half an hour’s drive.
Life hack: Reserve a parking space in advance. Thus, you can save a little time and money as well as avoid long queues. All parking lots here are equipped with modern security systems, including video surveillance, barriers and patrols.
