Southampton Airport

The airport handled almost two million passengers during 2016, which was estimated an 8.8% increase compared with 2015, making it the 18th busiest airport in the U.K. SOU includes a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence that permits flights for the public transportation of passengers or flying instruction. The facility is owned and operated by AGS Airports. It was before owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings (formerly known as BAA).

Southampton Airport

The airport handled almost two million passengers during 2016, which was estimated an 8.8% increase compared with 2015, making it the 18th busiest airport in the U.K. SOU includes a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence that permits flights for the public transportation of passengers or flying instruction. The facility is owned and operated by AGS Airports. It was before owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings (formerly known as BAA).

As of 2020, 95% of the flights from the airport were operated by Flybe. However, the airline moved into administration on 5 March, with all flights canceled.

History

The airport’s runway was constructed over the remains of a Roman villa.

The site’s contact with aviation started in 1910 when pilot Edwin Rowland Moon used the fields belonging to North Stoneham Farm as a landing spot and take-off for his monoplane.

During World War I, when forces from the U.S. Navy arrived in 1917, work on the construction of hangars started. At the zenith of the American presence, 4,000 officers and men were billeted in huts and tents.

After that war, the location became a transit camp for refugees, mostly Russian, who wanted to sail to America from the port of Southampton.

In 1932, Southampton Corporation bought the property and made it into Southampton Municipal Airport. By 1935, part of the property was used by the RAF and was referred to as RAF Eastleigh before it became RAF Southampton in 1936.

In 1936, Supermarine operated a test flight facility on the site.

In 1959, the airport was bought by racing pilot J.N. ‘Nat’ Somers, who put the base for the regional airport that exists today. He built the concrete runway in 1963 and negotiated with British Rail about building Southampton Airport Parkway railway station near the airport. Somers worked together with the Department of Transport to plan for the then-new M27 motorway to pass through the facility.

21st century

Southampton Airport includes one primary ground handler, Swissport, which took over from Aviance. It handles all passenger services as well as the ramp operations for all airlines except for Aurigny Air Services.

In 2010, the facility arranged several events to honor the 100th anniversary of the first flight at the airport.

In 2014, Heathrow Airport Holdings worked out an agreement to sell the property, together with those at Aberdeen and Glasgow, for £1 billion to AGS Airports.

In 2016 the facility received the Airport of the Year Award of the European Regional Airlines Association and demonstrated exceptional involvement with the local community and reducing its carbon footprint while expanding and growing in a highly competitive market.