Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu
IATA: GLA – ICAO: EGPF
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	AGS Airports
Operator	Glasgow Airport Limited
Location	Paisley, Renfrewshire
Elevation AMSL	26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates	55°52′19″N 004°25′59″W / 55.87194°N 4.43306°W / 55.87194; -4.43306Coordinates: 55°52′19″N 004°25′59″W / 55.87194°N 4.43306°W / 55.87194; -4.43306
Website	glasgowairport.com
Map
EGPF Location of airport in Renfrewshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 2,665 8,743 Grooved Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 8,714,307 Passenger change 14–15 12.9% Aircraft movements 90,870 Movements change 14–15 8.1%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2] Location from Glasgow Airport[3]

Glasgow Airport, also unofficially Glasgow International Airport (IATA: GLA^[4], ICAO: EGPF), formerly 'Abbotsinch Airport', is an international airport in Scotland, located 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) west^[1] of Glasgow city centre. In 2015 the airport handled over 8.7 million passengers, a 12.9% annual increase, making it the second busiest in Scotland, after Edinburgh Airport, and the eighth busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It is the primary airport serving the west of Scotland and is the principal transatlantic and direct long-haul entry airport into Scotland.

The airport is owned and operated by AGS Airports which also owns and operates Aberdeen and Southampton Airports. It was previously owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings (formerly known as BAA).^[5] The airport's largest tenants are British Airways and Loganair (currently franchising using Flybe), the latter using it as a hub. Other major airlines using GLA as a base include Flybe, EasyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomson Airways.

Glasgow Airport was first opened in 1966 and originally flights only operated to other places in the United Kingdom and Europe. The British Airports Authority (BAA) took control of the airport in 1975 and when BAA was privatised in the 1980s, Glasgow Airport began to offer flights to other places around the world, flights which previously used Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which was subsequently relegated as the city's secondary airport catering for low cost airlines, freight and charter operators.

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.^[6] The RAF Station HQ, however, was not formed until 1 July 1936 when 6 Auxiliary Group, Bomber Command, arrived.^[6] 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.^[6] 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 ship names and Abbotsinch's was known as HMS Sanderling since June 1940.^[6] 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.^[6] 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

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 runway.^[7]

Abbotsinch took over from Renfrew airport on 2 May 1966.^[6][7] 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 1990s

The aftermath of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack

In 1975, the 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 a pre-fabricated metal structure around the front of the original Basil Spence building, hence screening much of its distinctive Brutalist style architecture from view, with the void between the two structures joined by a glass atrium and walkway. Spence's original concrete facade which once looked onto Caledonia Road now fronts the check-in desks. The original building can be seen more clearly from the rear, with the mock barrel vaulted roof visible when airside.

A dedicated international departure lounge and pier was added at the western side of the building, leaving the facility with a total of 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), to provide a dedicated check-in facility for low cost airlines, principally Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Thomas Cook Airlines.

By 1996, Glasgow was handling over 5.5 million passengers per annum, making it the fourth largest airport in the UK.^[8]

Today

Apron view

Tail fins at the international pier

The airport serves a variety of destinations throughout Europe, North America and the Middle East. Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomson Airways and Loganair have a base at the airport. The largest aircraft to regularly operate at the airport are the Boeing 777-300ER and the Boeing 747-400. On 10 April 2014 Emirates operated an Airbus A380 to Glasgow to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Glasgow-Dubai route, the first time an A380 had visited a Scottish airport.^[9] Currently, the airport is not certified for regular A380 operations.

The terminal consists of three piers; the West Pier, Central Pier and East Pier.

The West Pier, commonly known as the International Pier, was built as part of the 1989 extension project and is the principal international and long haul departure point. The majority of stands on this pier are equipped with airbridges.

The Central Pier was part of the original 1966 building. The British Airways gates are located in the 1971 extension at the end of the pier, with Heathrow and Gatwick shuttles making up most of its traffic as well as BA CityFlyer flights to London City. The British Airways lounge is located on this pier, across from gate 15. Other users of the Central Pier are Flybe and Aer Lingus. Most of the stands on this pier are equipped with airbridges.

The East Pier, constructed in the mid-1970s, was originally used for international flights but in recent years has been re-developed for use by low-cost airlines. None of the stands on this pier are equipped with airbridges. The main users of this pier are Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2 and Loganair. In 2015 a £3,000,000 extension was added to the pier, creating space for 750,000 extra passengers a year.

In late 2007,^[10] work commenced on Skyhub (located between the Main Terminal and Terminal 2)^[11] which created a single, purpose built security screening area in place of the previous individual facilities for each of the three piers, the other side effect being an enlarged duty-free shopping area created by taking most of the previous landside shopping and restaurant facilities airside. This new arrangement also frees up space in the departure lounges through the removal of the separate duty-free shops in the West and Central Piers. This however meant that the former public viewing areas of the apron are now airside, making the airport inaccessible to aviation enthusiasts and spectators.

Future 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 areas of Drumchapel, Clydebank, Bearsden, Foxbar, Faifley and Linwood all sit directly underneath the approach paths into the airport, meaning that further increases in traffic may be politically sensitive. The airport is challenged by Edinburgh Airport, which now serves a wider range of European destinations, growing to overtake Glasgow as Scotland's busiest airport, although Glasgow retains the edge on transatlantic and long haul routes.

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 Airport. The rail link was to be completed by 2012 with the first trains running early in 2013. In 2009, however, it was announced by the Scottish Government that the plan had been cancelled.^[12]

Currently, the airport is easily accessible by road due with direct access to the adjoining M8 motorway. It is also served by a frequent bus service, the Glasgow Airport Express, which operates services to city centre. The service is run by First Glasgow and all buses feature leather seats, USB charging ports and free WiFi.

The airport is home to the Scottish regional airline Loganair, currently a Flybe franchise operator, who have their head office located on site.^[13] British Airways has a maintenance hangar at the airport, capable of carrying out overhaul work on Airbus A320, 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 became the second busiest airport in Scotland as passenger numbers were surpassed by those at Edinburgh Airport.

Icelandair temporarily moved its base of operations from Keflavík International Airport to Glasgow due to the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull.

In July 2014, the Emirates opened a dedicated lounge at the airport^[14] for First and Business class passengers. It is located at the top of the West Pier.

In October 2014, Heathrow Airport Holdings reached an agreement to sell the airport, together with Southampton and Aberdeen, to a consortium of Ferrovial and Macquarie Group for £1 billion.^[15]

Plans

In 2005 BAA published a consultation paper^[16] for the 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.^[17]

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 7.7 million passengers passing through the airport is expected to rise to more than 24 million by 2030.

Plans are confirmed to build a tram-rail link that will link the city centre to the airport with plans already underway to begin construction of the project.^[18]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

Annual traffic data

Passenger traffic at Glasgow Airport peaked in 2006 when over 8.8 million passengers passed through the airport. Numbers subsequently declined until 2010, with 6.5 million passengers that year, but have since increased to 8.7 million in 2015.^[2]

Glasgow Airport Passenger Totals 1997–2014 (millions)

Updated: 5 April 2016[2]

Emirates Boeing 777-300ER at Glasgow

Flybe Embraer ERJ 175 at Glasgow

Jet2.com Boeing 737-800 at Glasgow

US Airways Boeing 757-200 taxiing at Glasgow

Monarch Airlines Airbus A330-200 at Glasgow

Busiest routes

Busiest domestic routes (2015)

Rank	Airport	Passengers handled	% change 2014/15
1	London Heathrow	907,873	4
2	London Gatwick	612,497	1
3	London Stansted	533,327	75
4	London Luton	215,052	20
5	Bristol	267,162	9
6	Belfast International	266 275	10
7	Birmingham	226 704	1
8	London City	238,413	15
9	Southampton	158 310	8
10	Belfast City	155 157	9
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Busiest international routes (2015)

Rank	Airport	Passengers handled	% change 2014/15
1	Dublin	448,820	111
2	Dubai	429,602	1
3	Amsterdam	425,444	3
4	Tenerife-South	243,759	2
5	Palma de Mallorca	214,190	1
6	Alicante	190,522	3
7	Málaga	165,154	2
8	Dalaman	131,455	5
9	Arrecife de Lanzarote	119,395	3
10	Paris Charles de Gaulle	110,833	12
11	Newark	105,588	2
12	Toronto Pearson	96,959	54
13	Faro	96,754	4
14	Berlin Schönefeld	88,061	23
15	Antalya	81,890	35
16	Ibiza	81,065	10
17	Orlando–International	80,669	11
18	Keflavik	74,772	15
19	Gran Canaria	70,146	4
20	Fuerteventura	64,566	7
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

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.
• On 30 June 2007, a day after the failed car bomb attacks in London, an attack at Glasgow International Airport occurred. A flaming Jeep Cherokee was driven into the entrance of Main Terminal. Two men, one alight, fled the vehicle before being apprehended by a combination of police officers, airport security officers and witnesses. One of the men died in the following months due to injuries sustained in the attack. New barriers and security measures have been added to prevent a similar incident from taking place.^[29]

Ground transport

The airport is currently linked to Glasgow City Centre by Glasgow Shuttle bus service 500. This is run by First Glasgow under contract to Glasgow Airport. Started in 2011, the service runs 24 hours a day, direct via the M8 motorway. McGill's Bus Services service 757 links the airport with Paisley Gilmour Street railway station, Paisley town centre, Erskine & Clydebank. This bus accepts National Rail tickets between Glasgow Airport and any railway station.

References

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

Media related to Glasgow International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website

Transport in Glasgow
Bus Bus Stations Buchanan bus station Present First Glasgow McGill's Stagecoach Glasgow Glasgow Citybus Past Kelvin Central Buses Glasgow Corporation Transport Arriva Scotland West Western Scottish Trolleybuses in Glasgow
Rail Present Stations Alexandra Parade Anderston Anniesland Argyle Street Ashfield Baillieston Barnhill Bellgrove Bridgeton Cardonald Carmyle Carntyne Cathcart Charing Cross Corkerhill Croftfoot Crookston Crosshill Crossmyloof Dalmarnock Drumchapel Drumry Duke Street Dumbreck Easterhouse Exhibition Centre Garrowhill Garscadden Gilshochill Glasgow Central High Street Hillington East Hillington West Hyndland Jordanhill Kelvindale Kennishead King's Park Langside Maryhill Maxwell Park Mosspark Mount Florida Mount Vernon Muirend Nitshill Partick Pollokshaws East Pollokshaws West Pollokshields East Pollokshields West Possilpark and Parkhouse Priesthill and Darnley Queen's Park Queen Street Scotstounhill Shawlands Shettleston Springburn Summerston Commuter Lines   Argyle   Ayrshire Coast   Cathcart Circle   Croy   Cumbernauld   Inverclyde   Maryhill   Motherwell-Cumbernauld   North Clyde   Paisley Canal   Shotts   South Western   Whifflet Main Lines Cross Country Network East Coast Main Line Glasgow to Aberdeen Line Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line Highland Main Line TransPennine North West West Coast Main Line West Highland Line Operations Abellio ScotRail Caledonian Sleeper TransPennine Express Virgin Trains East Coast Virgin Trains West Coast Past Stations Bellahouston Botanic Gardens Bridge Street Bridgeton Central Buchanan Street (mainline) College Crow Road Cumberland Street Dunlop Street Eglinton Street Finnieston Gallowgate Gallowgate Central Glasgow Cross Glasgow Green Gorbals Govan Hyndland Ibrox Kelvinbridge Kelvinside Kirklee Main Street Maryhill Central Merkland Street Mount Vernon North Parkhead Stadium (GCR) Parkhead North (NBR) Partick Central (aka Kelvin Hall) Partickhill Partick West Pollokshields Possil Shields Shields Road Southside St Enoch (mainline) Strathbungo Tollcross Whiteinch Victoria Park Lines Cathcart District Railway City Union Line Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Glasgow City and District Railway Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway Glasgow Central Railway Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway Glasgow and Renfrew District Railway Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway Polloc and Govan Railway Stobcross Railway Operations Caledonian Railway Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway North British Railway LNER Scottish Region of British Railways ScotRail Future GARL Glasgow Crossrail (Proposed)
Subway Stations Bridge Street Buchanan Street Cessnock Cowcaddens Govan Hillhead Ibrox Kelvinbridge Kelvinhall Kinning Park Partick Shields Road St Enoch St George's Cross West Street
Roads Motorways M8 M73 motorway M74 motorway M77 motorway M80 motorway A Roads A8 / European route E05 A74 A77 A728 A730 A737 A739 A749 A761 A763 A80 A81 A82 A89 A803 A804 A814 A879 Streets Argyle Street Buchanan Street Byres Road Candleriggs Duke Street Glasgow Cross High Street Ingram Street Paisley Road West Queen Street Rottenrow Sauchiehall Street Scotland Street St. Vincent Street Trongate Great Western Road Broomielaw Gallowgate Saltmarket London Road
Tram Past Glasgow Corporation Tramways
Other Air Glasgow Airport Glasgow Prestwick Airport Glasgow Seaplane Terminal Water SPT Ferry Services Forth and Clyde Canal Cycling National Cycle Route 7 National Cycle Route 75 National Cycle Route 754 National Cycle Route 756
SPT Transport in Scotland