Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
FEATURE<br />
BELFAST<br />
Arriving at Belfast International<br />
Airport you can get the<br />
impression of either a very busy<br />
place or one that is quite the<br />
opposite. It all depends upon the time<br />
of day. If you arrive early in the morning<br />
it will be very busy at check-in, security<br />
and in the shops and refreshment outlets.<br />
The airline with the most flights, easyJet,<br />
has many early morning departures. The<br />
sole intercontinental flight of the day,<br />
to Newark/Liberty, New Jersey, departs<br />
at about 11:00 and employs the largest<br />
aircraft to use the airport on a regular<br />
basis – a United Airlines Boeing 757-<br />
200. After all these departures, activity<br />
tapers off and is spread throughout the<br />
afternoon and early evening. The late<br />
evening arrivals, again mostly easyJet<br />
flights, keep things busy in the baggage<br />
claim area up until midnight.<br />
History<br />
The airport site was originally selected<br />
in November 1917 as a Royal Flying Corps<br />
training site during World War One. It<br />
became RAF Aldergrove upon the formation<br />
of the Royal Air Force the following year.<br />
Hangars and buildings from the military<br />
days can be seen opposite today’s terminal.<br />
Civil traffic began in 1922 with newspaper<br />
flights and in 1933 scheduled passenger<br />
services started with connections to<br />
Glasgow by Midland and Scottish Air<br />
Ferries. During World War Two, RAF<br />
Aldergrove was used by Coastal Command.<br />
The four runways were too short for the<br />
largest aircraft and two longer ones were<br />
constructed. These form the basis of the<br />
present runway configuration.<br />
There was an interim period after the<br />
conflict when another wartime airfield,<br />
Nutts Corner (only three miles away)<br />
was used as Belfast’s civil airport. This<br />
airfield was too small for the emerging<br />
turboprop and jet aircraft and could not<br />
easily be expanded. A decision was made<br />
to return civil activity to Aldergrove and<br />
a terminal and apron, along with car<br />
parks and related facilities were built.<br />
The transfer of flights from Nutts Corner<br />
took place on September 26, 1963 and<br />
the first passenger service to land at<br />
A multi-language welcome to Belfast greets<br />
passengers as they leave the airport.<br />
www.airportsworld.com 19
Change language