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Cheap Cardiff Airport Parking » Airport Information>History History of Cardiff AirportA wartime satellite aerodrome was set up in the 1940s by the Air Ministry in the Vale of Glamorgan. This aerodrome was intended to train Spitfire pilots for the war. The airfield was actually taken over by the No 53 Operational Training Unit in April, 1942. This marked the beginning of Cardiff Airport.
Ten years later, Aer Lingus began commercial flights to Dublin. This helped to make evident that the runway had commercial possibilities. Within another ten years, in 1962, commercial flights to France, Belfast and Cork were realities and passenger throughput exceeded 100,000 that year.
The Ministry of Defence gave up control of the airport. The new control was in the hands of the Glamorgan County Council as of 1965.
The first transatlantic flight from Cardiff was in 1971. This was about the time that the Terminal Building and Control Tower were finished and that the runway was expanded to enable wide-bodied aircraft to take off and land.
It was in the 1970s that ownership of the airport was transferred to the three County Councils of South, Mid and West Glamorgan. This was not the last ownership transfer that the airport would have.
A British Airways maintenance facility noticed Cardiff Airport and built the largest maintenance hangar in the world in 1986. They noticed the one million pound runway extension of another 750 feet.
Manx Airways decided to put their hub at Cardiff in the 1990s. With this European Air Route Hub, they were now able to service major business destinations in the UK and Europe.
HRH Princess Alexandra attended the gala Golden Jubilee Anniversary in 1992. This Jubilee marked 50 years that flights had been originating at Cardiff Airport. The Princess unveiled a commemorative plaque during the ceremonies.
Major expansions in 1993 account for the 1994 attainment of one million passengers. The expansions included redevelopment of the landside forecourt area, road improvements, a new security access point as well as the modernisation of the International Departures Lounge.
The Airport Company was privatised in 1995. The airport’s name was changed to Cardiff International Airport. Shares were sold to a Welsh property and development company.
When British Airways discontinued their Cardiff flights in 2002, it made way for low-cost carriers to enter Cardiff’s market. Again, in 2006, Air Wales stopped flying, allowing most of their routes to be served by other carriers.
Cardiff International Airport now ranks as one of the most successful regional airports in the United Kingdom.
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