Our History
1942 – 1945
RAF Kirmington plays an important wartime role, under the auspices of Bomber Command.
1960s
Lindsey County Council conducts a feasibility study into the development of a new airport at the wartime airbase.
1969
A 288 acre site is purchased for £320,000.
1970s
£120,000 is invested at the site to bring it up to Civil Aviation Authority standards, including a £70,000 cash injection from British Steel.
The all-important Public Use Licence is granted.
20 March 1974
Kirmington (Lincolnshire) Airport is launched. It has a short life. Six days later, the County of Humberside is born, and with it, Humberside Airport.
1984
By the mid 1980s, 100,000 passengers are using the airport every year.
1986
The airport becomes a private limited company, wholly owned by Humberside County Council and operated at arm’s length.
April 1990
Extension of the main runway is approved. Completed two years later, the extension takes the runway’s length to 2200 metres.
April 1996
Ownership of the airport passes to four unitary authorities in the area.
June 1999
Manchester Airport plc buys 82.7% of the shares in Humberside Airport. North Lincolnshire Council retains a shareholding of 17.3%.
Summer 2000
With over 450,000 passengers choosing Humberside, it’s a record year for the airport. In fact, in July 2000 some 14% more passengers fly from Humberside Airport than in the same period the previous year.
August 2001
Direct flights to Corfu, the Algarve and the Costa del Sol are introduced.
April 2002
Eastern Airways begins a new daily scheduled service from Humberside to Edinburgh.
January 2003
A major expansion of airport leisure facilities is unveiled, including a larger restaurant, a new pub and viewing conservatory.
February 2003
Icelandair announces a regular twice-weekly fish flights into Humberside Airport.
March 2003
Humberside Airport breaks the 500,000 passenger mark for the first time in its 29-year history.
September 2003
A new route – to Bulgaria with Balkan Holidays – is announced for summer ’04.
October 2003
A passenger-carrying Concorde touches down at Humberside Airport for the last time. The aircraft flew into Humberside throughout the 1990s, drawing crowds of spectators.
November 2003
Passenger numbers notch-up an 11% increase on the previous year.
April 2004
Humberside Police confirms it is to move to a new purpose-built base at Humberside Airport. The Duke of York would later open the facility.
May 2005
The airport launches a new in-house travel agency, Humberside Airport Travel. The agency is based in the heart of the terminal and is open seven days a week.
