Islay Airport

Islay Airport (IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI) (also known as Glenegedale Airport) is located 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) north northwest of Port Ellen[1] on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for air ambulances.

Islay Airport

Port-adhair Ìle
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorHighlands and Islands Airports Limited
ServesIslay
LocationGlenegedale, Argyll and Bute
Elevation AMSL56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates55°41′00″N 006°15′35″W
Websitewww.hial.co.uk/islay-airport
Map
EGPI
Location in Scotland
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
13/31 1,545 5,069 Asphalt
08/26 635 2,083 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Passengers32,775
Passenger change 17-180.4%
Aircraft Movements2,751
Movements change 17–184.3%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

History

The first airports were built in Islay in the 1930s, although these were just grass strips. In 1940, during World War II, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill ordered military airports to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland and also to provide reconnaissance planes a base to fly missions over the Atlantic Ocean. The present Islay airport was constructed as RAF Port Ellen in 1940, and received a concrete runway in 1942. During World War II, over 1,500 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen.[3]

On 29 June 1994, the Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF on the runway of the airport. No one was injured, however the plane was badly damaged.[4][5]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Hebridean Air ServicesColonsay, Oban^A
Loganair Edinburgh,[6][7] Glasgow
Notes

Statistics
Busiest routes to and from Islay Airport in 2018[8]
RankAirportPassengers handled2017-2018 Change
1 Scotland - Glasgow32,7630.6%

See also

References
  1. Islay - EGPI
  2. "PROVISIONAL CAA AIRPORT STATISTICS FOR DECEMBER 2015" (PDF). UK Civil Aviation Authority. 22 January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  3. Shaw, Robbie (January–February 2015). "Serving the Southern Hebrides". Airports of the World (57). Key Publishing Ltd. pp. 80–83.
  4. Prince gives up flying royal aircraft
  5. Official report [archive.org]
  6. https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2018/10/31/loganair-expands-at-edinburgh/
  7. https://www.loganair.co.uk/
  8. https://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airports/Datasets/UK-Airport-data/Airport-data-2018/
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