East Midlands Airport
East Midlands Airport | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Manchester Airports Group | ||||||||||
Serves | East Midlands | ||||||||||
Location | Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England, UK | ||||||||||
Opened | April 1965 | ||||||||||
Hub for | |||||||||||
Operating base for | |||||||||||
Built | 1943 | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 306 ft / 93 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 52°50′N 001°20′W / 52.833°N 1.333°W | ||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Statistics (2022) | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
East Midlands Airport (IATA: EMA, ICAO: EGNX) is an international airport in Castle Donington, North West Leicestershire, England. The airport is situated between Loughborough (10 miles (16 km)), Derby (12.5 miles (20 km)) and Nottingham (14 miles (23 km)); Leicester is 20 miles (32 km) to the south and Lincoln 43 miles (69 km) northeast. It serves the majority of the East Midlands region consisting of the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Southern Lincolnshire, Rutland and Derbyshire. The airfield was originally built as a Royal Air Force station known as RAF Castle Donington in 1943, before being redeveloped as a civilian airport in 1965.
East Midlands Airport has established itself as a hub for low-fare airlines such as Jet2.com and Ryanair and tour operators like TUI Airways, which serve a range of domestic and European short-haul destinations. In 2022, the airport was the 14th-busiest airport in the UK by passenger traffic. A central air cargo hub, it was the second-busiest UK airport for freight traffic in 2016, after London Heathrow.[4]
The airport is owned by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), the largest British-owned airport operator, which is controlled by the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester, with Manchester City Council retaining the controlling stake.[5]
History
[edit]RAF Castle Donington
[edit]RAF Castle Donington was opened as a Royal Air Force station in 1943, during the Second World War. The airfield was equipped with three concrete runways, together with two hangars, and was a satellite airfield to RAF Wymeswold, situated some 9 miles (14 km) to the southeast. Initially, the airfield was used by the 28 Operational Training Unit, training RAF Bomber Command crews on the Vickers Wellington, and subsequently by the 108 Operational Training Unit, later renamed 1382 Transport Conversion Unit, training RAF Transport Command crews on the Douglas Dakota. The airfield closed and the air force station was decommissioned in 1946.[6][7][8]
East Midlands Airport
[edit]A group of local government agencies bought the former RAF station site in 1964, at which point a sizeable construction and runway investment programme was launched. The airfield was renamed East Midlands Airport to reflect the area it served, and it opened for passengers in April 1965, replacing the redundant Derby Airport.[6][7]
Until 1982, when the head office moved to Donington Hall,[9] British Midland had its head office on the airport property.[10] BMI also had its maintenance base at the airport.
In 1993, National Express purchased the airport from the local councils.[11] With Bournemouth Airport, it was sold to Manchester Airports Group in February 2001.[12][13] In 2004 the airport was controversially renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport.[14] The change, however, did not last long, and on 8 December 2006, the airport's name was reverted to East Midlands Airport.[15]
EasyJet ceased operating from the airport on 5 January 2010.[16] However, it was announced on 13 April 2011 that Bmibaby would close its Manchester and Cardiff bases, moving an additional service to East Midlands Airport with increased frequencies and new routes for summer 2012. It was announced only just over a year later, on 3 May 2012, that Bmibaby would close down and cease all operations in September 2012, with a number of services being dropped from June. The parent company, International Airlines Group, cited heavy losses and the failure to find a suitable buyer as the reasons for the decision.[17] In light of the announcement, Flybe and Monarch Airlines announced they would establish a base at the airport, and low-cost airline Jet2.com confirmed they would also expand their operations from the airport, with new routes and an additional aircraft from the summer of 2013. In 2015, the airport announced jet2.com would base a seventh aircraft at East Midlands Airport in the summer period. Ryanair expanded its East Midlands base with a series of new routes and frequency increases on existing routes. Ryanair became the largest airline at the airport, accounting for about 50% of passenger traffic, with East Midlands now being Ryanair's third-largest UK airport, after London–Stansted and Manchester, both now also owned by MAG.
In 2016, Heathrow handled 1.54 million tonnes of freight and mail, compared with 300,100 tonnes in East Midlands.[4] DHL Aviation has a large purpose-built facility at EMA, and courier companies UPS and TNT use the airport as a base to import and export freight.[needs update]
Development since 2020
[edit]On 4 March 2020, Flybe entered administration,[18] with EMA announcing that all flights were cancelled with immediate effect, the following day.[19]
In the summer of 2020, Aer Lingus announced they would commence flights to Belfast, operated by Stobart Air, taking over the route which was once operated by Flybe,[20] until their collapse in early 2020. In June 2021, Stobart Air collapsed, ceasing the route. Later in the month, EasyJet announced they would take over the Belfast route, operating frequent flights to Belfast International Airport.[21] This was the first easyJet route announced from East Midlands since they stopped services from the airport in January 2010.
Airlines and destinations
[edit]Passenger
[edit]The following airlines operate regular scheduled passenger flights to and from East Midlands:[22]
Cargo
[edit]East Midlands Airport is a major hub for freight operations throughout Europe due to its central location within the United Kingdom. The East Midlands Gateway rail-served inland port lies immediately to the north of the airport. The airport serves as a hub for DHL Aviation[1] and UPS Airlines[2] and sees flights by several of their sub-contractors to domestic, European and intercontinental destinations.
Cargo operations at the airport increased significantly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic - cargo aircraft movements increasing by 10% in the first week following the implementation of social distancing measures on 16 March 2020[46] and overall annual freight and mail increasing by 13% from 2019 to 2020.[47] Further growth was seen throughout 2021 and 2022.[47][48]
The following airlines operate regular scheduled cargo flights to and from East Midlands:
Statistics
[edit]Rank | Airport | Total passengers |
Airline(s) | Change 2021 / 22 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alicante | 309,549 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 289.6% |
2 | Tenerife–South | 274,514 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 277.2% |
3 | Palma de Mallorca | 257,701 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 280.5% |
4 | Málaga | 245,052 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 315.5% |
5 | Faro | 221,169 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 322.3% |
6 | Lanzarote | 173,831 | Jet2.com, Ryanair, TUI | 275.7% |
7 | Dublin | 136,552 | Ryanair | 401.2% |
8 | Barcelona | 71,950 | Ryanair | 321.7% |
9 | Dalaman | 63,947 | Jet2.com, TUI | 1,235.3% |
10 | Fuerteventura | 60,722 | Jet2.com, Ryanair | 239.3% |
Ground transport
[edit]Motorway
[edit]The airport has excellent connections to the motorway network, as it is near the intersection of the M1, A42 and A50 at Donington Park, bringing the airfield within easy reach of the major population centres of the Midlands. The A46 is also within reach for journeys to the rest of the East Midlands.
Drop-off fees
[edit]The airport introduced a charge to drop car passengers near the departure lounge in 2010.
Railway
[edit]The airport has no direct access to the passenger rail network or the Nottingham Express Transit tram network.[54] The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, four miles (six kilometres) away, with regular services to Leicester, Derby, Sheffield, Lincoln, Nottingham and London St Pancras. The original shuttle bus service linking the station and the airport ceased not long after it was introduced,[55] but in 2015 an hourly minibus service was reintroduced by Elite Cars, restoring scheduled shuttle services to and from the airport.[56] Connections to the airport via taxi are also available.
A dedicated railway station at the airport is proposed, which would be connected to the existing network via a spur from the Midland main line. If the project goes ahead, it is expected to be complete by 2040 and will offer direct services to nearby cities as well as the existing East Midlands Parkway railway station. A new line to the airport on the Nottingham Express Transit network is also proposed, planned to be open by 2045.[57]
A 700-acre (280 ha) railfreight terminal, East Midlands Gateway, opened on the SEGRO Logistics Park to the north of the airport in 2020, [58] so that the site is now served by air, road and rail cargo. As of December 2021, this was handling 10,000 shipping containers, with trains to ports including Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton and Liverpool. [59]
Bus
[edit]East Midlands Airport is served 24/7 by Skylink services which are operated by Kinchbus and trentbarton alongside My15 and Airline9 buses.[60]
As of May 2022 the airport is served by the services listed.
Service | Operator | Route | |
---|---|---|---|
Skylink Leicester-Derby | Kinchbus | Leicester (Causeway Lane) - Birstall - Loughborough - Kegworth or Long Whatton/Diseworth - East Midlands Airport - Castle Donington - Shardlow - Alvaston - Derby[61] | |
Skylink Nottingham | trentbarton | Nottingham - Queens Medical Centre - Long Eaton- Castle Donington - East Midlands Airport | 1 journey an hour then continues to Coalville via Shepshed during the daytime |
Skylink Express | Nottingham - Trent Bridge- Clifton - East Midlands Airport [62] | ||
My15 | Ilkeston- Long Eaton- East Midlands Airport [63] | ||
Airline9 | Diamond East Midlands | Burton-upon-Trent - Swadlincote - East Midlands Airport [64] |
The airport also has a car park shuttle bus service, which is presently run by First Group.
East Midlands Aeropark
[edit]The East Midlands Aeropark to the north west corner of the airport has a large number of static aircraft on public display, the majority of which are from British manufacturers. The museum and its exhibits are managed and maintained by the Aeropark Volunteers Association (AVA). It also offers two viewing mounds for watching aircraft arriving and departing from the main runway. AVA Members are allowed free access to the Aeropark.
Exhibits include:[65]
- Aérospatiale Gazelle AH.1 XX457
- Armstrong Whitworth Argosy 101 G-BEOZ
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor TT.20 WM224
- Avro Vulcan B.2 XM575
- BAC Lightning F.53 ZF588
- BAe Nimrod R.1 XW664
- Beagle 206 Bassett G-ARRM
- Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B XV350
- Britten Sheriff SA.1 G-FRJB
- de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 WP784
- de Havilland Dove 6 G-ANUW
- de Havilland Vampire T.11 XD447
- de Havilland Vampire T.11 XD534
- de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.22 XG737
- English Electric Canberra T.17 WH740
- Gloster Javelin FAW.9 XH767
- Gloster Meteor NF.13 WM367 (nose)
- Gloster Meteor NF.14 WS760
- Handley Page Jetstream T.1 XX494
- Hawker Hunter T.7 XL569
- Hawker Hunter FR.10 XJ714 (composite of six airframes)
- Hawker Hunter GA.11 WV382
- Hunting Jet Provost T.3 XN492 (nose)
- Hunting Jet Provost T.4 XP568
- Percival Provost T.1 WW442
- Schleicher K 8 glider, registration unknown
- SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3A XZ369
- Vickers VC10 C.1K XV108 (forward fuselage)
- Vickers Vanguard V953C G-APES (nose)
- Vickers Varsity T.1 WL626
- Vickers Viscount 804 G-CSZB (nose)
- Westland Lynx HAS.3 XZ721
- Westland Sea King HC.4 ZD477
- Westland Whirlwind Srs.3 XG588 (ex VR-BEP)
- Westland Wessex HC.2 XT604
Other facilities
[edit]Pegasus Business Park, an office complex, is on the airport grounds. The now-defunct airline flybmi formerly had its head office at Pegasus Business Park.[66]
Accidents and incidents
[edit]- On 20 February 1969, Vickers Viscount G-AODG of British Midland Airways was damaged beyond economic repair when it landed short of the runway. There were no casualties.[67]
- On 31 January 1986, Aer Lingus Flight 328, a Short 360, en route from Dublin, struck power lines and crashed short of the runway. None of the 36 passengers and crew died but two passengers were injured in the accident.[68]
- On 18 January 1987, a British Midland Fokker F27 Friendship, on a training flight, crashed on approach to East Midlands Airport due to wing and tail surface icing. There were no fatalities.[69]
- On 8 January 1989, British Midland Flight 92 crashed on approach to East Midlands Airport, killing 47 people. The Boeing 737 aircraft had developed a fan blade failure in one of the two engines while en route from London Heathrow to Belfast and a decision was made to divert to East Midlands. The crew mistakenly shut down the functioning engine, causing the aircraft to lose power and crash on the embankment of the M1 Motorway just short of the runway. No one on the ground was injured and no vehicles were damaged despite the aircraft crashing on the embankment of one of the busiest sections of motorway in the UK. The investigation into the Kegworth air disaster, as the incident became known, led to considerable improvements in aircraft safety and emergency instructions for passengers. The official report into the disaster made 31 safety recommendations.
- On 29 October 2010, in the 2010 cargo plane bomb plot, British police searched a UPS plane at East Midlands Airport but found nothing.[70] Later that day, when a package was found on a plane in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, British officials searched again and found a bomb.[71] The two packages, found on two planes originating in Yemen, contained the powerful high explosive PETN. The U.K. and the U.S. determined that the plan was to detonate them while in flight. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula took responsibility.[72]
References
[edit]- ^ a b dhl.de - DHL EXPRESS United Kingdom (German) retrieved 1 December 2021
- ^ a b "Come fly with me: Connecting Great Britain to the world". about.ups.com. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ "East Midlands – EGNX". Nats-uk.ead-it.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ a b c "Aircraft and passenger traffic data from UK airports". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 21 March 2023. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "AGMA to consider Manchester Airport restructure in takeover bid". Manchester Evening News. 15 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ a b Historic England. "East Midlands Airport (1390986)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Our History". East Midlands Airport. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ Care, Adam (9 November 2018). "This is the moving way the fallen are being honoured at East Midlands Airport". Leicester Mercury. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "the eighties Archived 10 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine." British Midland International. Retrieved on 28 December 2011.
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 26 July 1980. 295 Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. "Head Office: East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Derby, Great Britain. 37172."
- ^ History of East Midlands Airport East Midlands Airport
- ^ Manchester Airports Group Annual Report 31 March 2001 [permanent dead link ] Manchester Airport Group
- ^ Manchester Airport spreads its wings BBC News 19 February 2001
- ^ "Row over airport name change". BBC News. BBC. 20 January 2004. Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ "It's back to East Midlands Airport". bbc.co.uk. BBC. BBC News. 8 December 2006. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ "easyJet announces network redeployments". EasyJet. 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2009.
- ^ "BMI Baby to be grounded by BA owner IAG". BBC. 3 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
BMI Baby has delivered high levels of operational performance and customer service, but has continued to struggle financially, losing more than £100m in the last four years,
- ^ "Advice to UK consumers following Flybe entering administration | UK Civil Aviation Authority". www.caa.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ "Flybe has ceased trading and all future flights from the UK cancelled". Flybe has ceased trading and all future flights from the UK cancelled. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ "Six new routes for Belfast City Airport with Aer Lingus regional hub". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ Bunn, Matthew (17 June 2021). "easyJet confirms brand new route from East Midlands Airport". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ eastmidlandsairport.com - Flight Timetables Archived 6 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 5 October 2016
- ^ "Cardiff 'to lose Paris flight' as Heathrow gains new service". 15 February 2024.
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ a b Winter flights jet2.com
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ "New Routes". Jet2.com.
- ^ "Jet2.com launches five new routes to Jersey for Summer 2021". aviation24.be. 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Jet2's new Xmas Market route for Winter from East Midlands Airport". Derbyshirelive. 23 November 2022 – via www.derbytelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b Summer flights jet2.com
- ^ "Eight European Christmas Market holidays unveiled by Jet2 for post-pandemic trips". lancs.live. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/jet2-and-jet2holidays-tease-further-growth-as-expanded-summer-2026-programme-released
- ^ "Ryanair NS23 Network Additions Summary – 26MAR23". Aeroroutes.
- ^ "Ryanair May – Oct 2023 Italy Frequency Variations – 14MAY23". Aeroroutes.
- ^ a b "Ryanair NW23 Network Changes – 17SEP23".
- ^ "Ryanair".
- ^ https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231030-uknw23
- ^ "Tui adds 345,000 seats to summer 2025 programme".
- ^ a b c "Flight Timetable". tui.co.uk.
- ^ a b Timetable tui.co.uk
- ^ "Tui adds 345,000 seats to summer 2025 programme".
- ^ "Tui adds 345,000 seats to summer 2025 programme".
- ^ "Aircargo News - East Midlands Airport experiences cargo growth amid Covid-19 outbreak". April 2020.
- ^ a b "BBC - East Midlands Airport sees huge increase in cargo volumes Published". BBC News. 19 October 2022.
- ^ "Business Live - East Midlands Airport cargo shipments up more than 25% on pre-pandemic levels". 10 December 2021.
- ^ aerologic.aero
- ^ aslairlines.fr - Scheduled cargo flights
- ^ dhl.com retrieved 20 January 2021
- ^ "Loganair secures new Royal Mail contract". BBC News. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Airport Data 2022". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 21 March 2023. Tables 12.1(XLS) and 12.2 (XLS). Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "Tram Train proposals for East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Parkway news". RailUK Forums. 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ "Train services to and from East Midlands Parkway – East Midlands Trains". East Midlands Trains.
- ^ "EMA Rail Link". Archived from the original on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Access to Toton, the HS2 East Midlands Hub" (PDF). Midlands Connect. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ "Rail Minister officially opens Maritime's Rail Freight Interchange at East Midlands Gateway". www.maritimetransport.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Maritime boosts East Midlands operation with two new Kalmar reach stackers". www.maritimetransport.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "welcome - my15 - run by trentbarton". www.trentbarton.co.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ "service map - skylink Derby - operated by Kinchbus". Kinchbus.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "service map - skylink Nottingham - operated by Kinchbus". Kinchbus.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "welcome - my15 - run by trentbarton". www.trentbarton.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Route 9 | Midland Classic". Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "AEROPARK EXHIBITS". East Midlands Aeropark. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Contact Us." Flybmi. 12 July 2017. retrieved on 18 February 2019. "Head Office bmi regional Pegasus Business Park Herald Way East Midlands Airport Castle Donington DE74 2TU"
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Shorts 360-100 EI-BEM East Midlands Airport (EMA)". Aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 G-BMAU East Midlands Airport (EMA)". Aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ^ "Terrorist Bombers May Have Targeted Aircraft". Fox News Channel. 7 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
- ^ Rayner, Gordon (31 October 2010). "Cargo plane bomb plot: al-Qaeda terrorists 'threatened another Lockerbie'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 November 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
- ^ "Al-Qaida claims responsibility for cargo bombs". NBC News. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
External links
[edit]Media related to East Midlands Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- East Midlands Aeropark – official museum website
- East Midlands Airport
- Aerospace museums in England
- Airports established in 1965
- Airports in England
- Airports in Leicestershire
- Airports in the East Midlands
- Manchester Airports Group
- Military installations established in 1943
- Military installations closed in 1946
- Museums in Leicestershire
- North West Leicestershire District
- Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom
- Transport in Leicestershire
- 1943 establishments in England
- 1946 disestablishments in England
- 1965 establishments in England
- Civilian airports with RAF origins