Belfast International Airport (IATA: BFS, ICAO: EGAA) is a major airport located 11.5 NM (21.3 km; 13.2 mi) northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the nearby village of Aldergrove, which lies immediately to the west of the airport. The airfield was previously shared with the Royal Air Force base RAF Aldergrove, which closed in 2008; the base is now known as Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station, Aldergrove, and both runways are now owned by the airport.
Around 4.3 million passengers travelled through the airport in 2012, a 5.1% increase on 2011. Belfast International is the busiest airport in Northern Ireland and the second busiest airport on the island of Ireland in terms of passenger numbers after Dublin Airport, and is followed by Belfast-City, Cork and Shannon.
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY
The airport lies within the parish of Killead, between the small villages of Killead (to the east) and Aldergrove (to the west).
1917-1945
The site for the airport was established in 1917 when it was selected to be a Royal Flying Corps training establishment during the First World War. The airport remained open at the end of the war for RAF activity.
Civil traffic began in 1922 when flights were conducted flying newspapers from Chester, and a regular civil air service started in 1933. The flight was to Glasgow and was operated by Midland and Scottish Air Ferries. This was subsequently augmented by flights to the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Croydon, then London’s airport.
During the Second World War, Aldergrove remained an RAF base particularly for the Coastal Command. So that the airport could accommodate larger, long-range aircraft, a major works programme was undertaken to replace the four existing runways with two new long paved runways, thereby forming the basis of the layout that still exists at the airport today.
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LOCATION
Belfast International Airport (IATA: BFS, ICAO: EGAA) is a major airport located 11.5 NM (21.3 km; 13.2 mi) northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland.
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: BFS/EGAA
Lat: 54.65750122070312
Long: -6.21582984924316
Elevation: 268 ft.
Runway length available: 07/25 9121×148 ft. :: 17/35 6401×148 ft.
