Major UK airport closing down without end in 2026 – flights cease after May 9 | UK | News | EUROtoday

A UK airport is because of shut in simply over a month’s time to make approach for a multimillion-pound superior manufacturing web site. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that Coventry Airport will stop operations on June 11 with its ultimate flight taking off on May 6.

Originally referred to as Baginton Aerodrome the Midlands Airport first opened in 1936 and operated as an RAF base throughout World War II. A spokesperson from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated: “Coventry Aerodrome has given formal notice to us of its plan to close the airport permanently with effect from 11 June 2026.” The land is slated for demolition to pave the best way for Greenpower Park, a large-scale battery manufacturing plant, or “gigafactory,” supposed to assist the UK’s shift towards electrical autos.

Speaking in regards to the airport’s discover to the CAA, the Rigby Group assertion stated: “This procedural submission, first envisaged when local planning approval for Green Power Park was granted in 2022, enables the next phase of infrastructure work for the site to proceed.”

Jim O’Boyle, the councillor liable for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council, stated: “What we want to see are thousands of jobs created here, giving the area an economic lift.”

Over the previous 90 many years, it has dealt with freight, gentle plane, and occasional business flights. During the 80s Hards Travel flew travellers to Spain, France, Italy and Austria as a part of package deal holidays.

In 2004, Thomsonfly started flights to common solar locations reminiscent of Palma, Valencia, Rome, Nice, Marseille, Naples, Pisa, Venice, and Jersey. Wizz Air additionally flew passengers to Gdańsk and Katowice.

However on September 1 2008, Wizz Air confirmed it will not proceed its seasonal service from Coventry to Gdańsk and Katowice. In an additional setback for the airport, Thomsonfly confirmed on 15 October 2008 that it will stop operations at Coventry Airport, citing a shift in focus towards constitution providers following its merger with First Choice Airways.

Coventry Airport additionally performed host to a Papal go to in 1982, when Pope John Paul II toured the UK and drew an estimated 350,000 individuals to the location.

In May 2009, Coventry Airport was put up on the market and Sir Peter Rigby’s Rigby Group took over possession on April 28 2010 and it absolutely reopened later that 12 months.