History of Glasgow International Airport

In 1932 the RAF 602 squadron re-located its squadron of Wapiti IIA aircraft from Renfrew to a new airfield in Abbotsinch, better known now as Glasgow Airport. In 1936 the RAF headquarters were formed on the site when the 6th group of bomber command arrived, and in 1939 the squadron flew the Spitfire. In 1940 a different role was afforded to the airfield and a torpedo training unit was formed supplying personnel to both the Navy and Air Force.

The Navy took full control of the site in 1943 with the airfield becoming a stone frigate (land based naval stronghold) known as HMS Sanderling. Moving into the 1950's the airfield was used as an aircraft storage unit and for the Navy Volunteer Reserve. The Navy vacated the premises in 1963 but the name Sanderling was kept as an association with the Navy.

In the 1960's a decision was taken by the Glasgow Corporation that an airport was needed for the city. Despite many concerns - including the fact that Prestwick Airport had had many millions spent on it to ready it for jet aircraft - the plans carried on at the Abbotsinch (Sanderling) site at a cost of £4.2m which were completed in 1966.

Services commenced in 1966 with British European Airways who flew the DeHavilland Comet. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Glasgow Airport on the 27th June 1966, and the next few years saw continuing political problems as the airport was only permitted to operate UK and intra-European flights as Prestwick Airport had a monopoly on transatlantic flights.

In 1975 BAA took ownership of Glasgow Airport and then following its privatisation in 1987 sold Prestwick Airport. This action removed the restrictions that the airport had been working under since the 1960's. As a result of this the transatlantic operators immediately moved from Prestwick and the airport was re-named Glasgow International Airport.

In 1989 BAA began a large-scale improvement of the airport and its facilities. A decision was made to enlarge the terminal building instead of demolishing it and the novel design actually left the old terminal inside the new one. When completed the airport boasted 38 gates and a capacity to handle 9m passengers per year. In 2003 more development work was carried out on terminal 2 that had previously been the St. Andrews Building in order to accommodate the low-cost airlines that were beginning to expand.

Future expansion of the airport is hampered by its location making it very difficult, however the announcement of a new rail link to the airport from Central Glasgow will aim to continue the airports success.