Airport Guide
Southampton Airport
Owned and operated by the airports giant BAA, Southampton Airport has grown from a small airstrip to a terminal catering for business and leisure travellers heading off to the rest of the UK or to a host of European destinations, Flybe being a recognised Airline brand operating here.
In 2007, the airport handled just under two million passengers, making it the 20th largest in the country.
Unlike most airports in the south of England, Southampton has a fascinating history. Beneath the tarmac of the sole runway, historians believe there to be the remains of a Roman villa, which crumbled and gave way to farmland for many centuries.
The first time the site was used for aviation purposes was in 1910, when the pioneering pilot Eric Moon used it as a take-off and landing spot for his developmental monoplane, while it was further expanded in the First World War when it housed thousands of men from the United States Navy waiting to be ferried across to the continent.
After the end of the Great War the hangars were used to house tens of thousands of refugees hoping to emigrate from Southampton to the United States and it was only in 1932 that an airport was established by the local council. Again, war duties took over and the site was under the control of the Royal Navy until 1946 and was also used as the testing airfield for the iconic Spitfire.
After the war had finished, the airport was relatively quiet due to its proximity to the ports, and it was only really in the past few years that it has become a major player in the UK aviation industry. In particular, the arrival of budget airlines has allowed it to compete with cross-Channel ferries and offer affordable links with the rest of the country.
Southampton Airport is in Eastleigh near to the city of Southampton and benefits from excellent transport links with the south of England and the rest of the UK.
The junction between the M3 and M27 motorways is just a few minutes away and connected with a link road. These motorways allow for access with Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth and Portsmouth and then on to other parts of England.
In addition, the Southampton Airport Parkway station allows for convenient rail access to the main network, connecting on to the South Western Main Line to London Waterloo, while a number of bus and coach operators offer links to the rest of the region.
Currently, just nine airlines operate services from Southampton.
By far the biggest presence at the airport is that of budget carrier Flybe, which offers low-cost connections to a host of destinations, including Alicante, Amsterdam, Faro, Dublin, La Rochelle, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Rennes and Salzburg.
In comparison, the second-biggest airline at Southampton is Eastern Airways, which flies to just Aberdeen, Angers, Inverness, Leeds/Bradford and Newcastle.
Aer Arann flies to Cork, Air France's subsidiary Airlinair goes to Paris, while Brussels Airlines links the south coast with the Belgian capital.
In addition, Blue Islands flies to Guernsey, while Aurigny Air Services shuttles passengers to Alderney and the Isles of Scilly are also served by a Skybus.
In 2007, the airport handled just under two million passengers, making it the 20th largest in the country.
History of Southampton Airport
Unlike most airports in the south of England, Southampton has a fascinating history. Beneath the tarmac of the sole runway, historians believe there to be the remains of a Roman villa, which crumbled and gave way to farmland for many centuries.
The first time the site was used for aviation purposes was in 1910, when the pioneering pilot Eric Moon used it as a take-off and landing spot for his developmental monoplane, while it was further expanded in the First World War when it housed thousands of men from the United States Navy waiting to be ferried across to the continent.
After the end of the Great War the hangars were used to house tens of thousands of refugees hoping to emigrate from Southampton to the United States and it was only in 1932 that an airport was established by the local council. Again, war duties took over and the site was under the control of the Royal Navy until 1946 and was also used as the testing airfield for the iconic Spitfire.
After the war had finished, the airport was relatively quiet due to its proximity to the ports, and it was only really in the past few years that it has become a major player in the UK aviation industry. In particular, the arrival of budget airlines has allowed it to compete with cross-Channel ferries and offer affordable links with the rest of the country.
Travelling to Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport is in Eastleigh near to the city of Southampton and benefits from excellent transport links with the south of England and the rest of the UK.
The junction between the M3 and M27 motorways is just a few minutes away and connected with a link road. These motorways allow for access with Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth and Portsmouth and then on to other parts of England.
In addition, the Southampton Airport Parkway station allows for convenient rail access to the main network, connecting on to the South Western Main Line to London Waterloo, while a number of bus and coach operators offer links to the rest of the region.
Airlines Flying From Southampton Airport
Currently, just nine airlines operate services from Southampton.
By far the biggest presence at the airport is that of budget carrier Flybe, which offers low-cost connections to a host of destinations, including Alicante, Amsterdam, Faro, Dublin, La Rochelle, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Rennes and Salzburg.
In comparison, the second-biggest airline at Southampton is Eastern Airways, which flies to just Aberdeen, Angers, Inverness, Leeds/Bradford and Newcastle.
Aer Arann flies to Cork, Air France's subsidiary Airlinair goes to Paris, while Brussels Airlines links the south coast with the Belgian capital.
In addition, Blue Islands flies to Guernsey, while Aurigny Air Services shuttles passengers to Alderney and the Isles of Scilly are also served by a Skybus.