Humberside Airport: Exploring Its County Location

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, UK, and serves several areas, including Lincolnshire, Hull, and parts of Yorkshire. It was originally built as an RAF base during World War II and was called RAF Kirmington. After the war, it was left abandoned until 1974 when the local council decided to repurpose it as an airport, renaming it Kirmington Airport. In 1975, the airport operated its first commercial flight to Amsterdam. Following local government reorganisation in England, the airport was renamed Humberside Airport. Today, the airport offers a mix of scheduled flights and seasonal charter services, with regular airlines KLM and Eastern Airways offering routes to destinations such as Amsterdam, Aberdeen, and Palma de Mallorca.

Humberside Airport's location and history

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, UK, and serves several areas, including Lincolnshire, Hull, and parts of Yorkshire. The airport is situated on the outskirts of the Lincolnshire Wolds, an area of outstanding natural beauty, and is easily accessible from various directions, including the M62, M18, M1, and A1. Barnetby Station is just three miles away, providing Intercity connections.

The history of Humberside Airport dates back to World War II when it was built as an RAF base for a Lancaster squadron. After the war, in 1945, the airfield was closed and remained unused until 1973 when the local council decided to convert it into an airport. Construction work included resurfacing the runways, installing lighting, and building a designated terminal and taxiway. In 1974, the airport opened as Kirmington Airport, with its first commercial flight to Amsterdam taking place in 1975. Following local government reorganisation, the airport was renamed Humberside Airport.

Over the years, Humberside Airport has undergone several developments. In 1992, the main runway was extended to accommodate larger aircraft, and the Concorde landed and took off from the airport several times in the 1990s. The airport has also seen fluctuations in passenger numbers, with a peak in the early to mid-2000s and a subsequent decline in 2016. It serves as a base for several helicopter operators and has been used for offshore gas storage and drilling operations.

In terms of facilities, Humberside Airport offers a duty-free shop, newsagents, car rental services, and clearly signposted car parks. There is also a restaurant and a temporary hotel catering to gas and oil rig workers. The airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence, enabling flights for passenger transport and flying instruction. It handles cargo operations and has seen significant growth in cargo throughput over the years.

Humberside Airport faces competition from nearby airports, such as East Midlands Airport and Leeds Bradford Airport, which offer a wider range of scheduled passenger flights. However, it continues to serve its region and has the potential to grow, especially with the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport in 2022.

Scheduled flights and services

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, UK, and serves several areas, including Lincolnshire, Hull, and parts of Yorkshire. It is a small regional airport with a limited route network. However, it offers a mix of scheduled flights and seasonal charter services.

For scheduled services, there are two regular airlines offering routes from Humberside: KLM and Eastern Airways. KLM operates a longstanding service to Amsterdam Schiphol, a route that has been in operation since the airport's first commercial flight in 1975. Eastern Airways is also a well-established operator at Humberside Airport, providing connections to various destinations.

In addition to these, there are seasonal services offered by different airlines. TUI Airways, for instance, offers a weekly flight to Majorca, Spain, from May to October. Transun organises occasional winter flights to Lapland (Enontekio Airport in Finland), and BH Air operates flights to Bourgas in Bulgaria twice a week during the summer.

Humberside Airport also accommodates several flying schools, a fixed-base operation for private flights, and helicopter operations by companies such as Bristow Helicopters, Bond Offshore Helicopters, and CHC. These helicopter services support offshore gas storage and drilling operations for companies like BP and Centrica Storage, as well as wind farm construction in the North Sea.

The airport is easily accessible by road, located on the A18, just three miles from Junction 5 on the M180. It is well-connected to major roads and motorways, including the M18, M62, M1, and A1. Barnetby Station is the nearest train station, situated three miles away, offering Intercity connections via Doncaster. For those arriving by car, the airport provides convenient parking options within walking distance of the terminal, with CCTV and fencing for security.

Seasonal charter services

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, UK, and serves the counties of Lincolnshire, Hull, and parts of Yorkshire. The airport has a mix of scheduled flights and seasonal charter services.

Humberside Airport offers seasonal charter services to various destinations, including Majorca, Spain, with TUI Airways. This service operates once a week from May to October. Transun also organises occasional winter flights to Lapland (Enontekio Airport in Finland). BH Air, owned by Balkan Holidays, operates charter flights to Bourgas in Bulgaria twice a week during the summer season.

In addition to these seasonal charter services, Humberside Airport also provides scheduled services to Amsterdam Schiphol with KLM and various destinations with Eastern Airways. The airport has a range of facilities, including duty-free shops, restaurants, cafes, currency exchange offices, and car rental services.

Humberside Airport is easily accessible, located just off the A18 and M180 motorway, and is well-connected to other major roads, including the M18, M62, M1, and A1. Barnetby Station is also nearby, providing Intercity connections to Doncaster and other mainline stations.

Helicopter operations

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, England, and is an international airport that serves as a major helicopter base. It is situated at Kirmington, 12 miles west of Grimsby, and is about 19 kilometres from three large settlements: Grimsby, Hull, and Scunthorpe.

The history of the airport dates back to World War II when it served as a Royal Air Force base known as RAF Kirmington, operating the Avro Lancaster bomber with 166 Squadron. After the war, the airfield remained unused until 1973 when the local council decided to repurpose it as a civilian airport. Construction work was completed in 1974, and the airport was renamed Kirmington Airport. The first commercial flight took off in 1975, heading to Amsterdam. Following local government reorganisation in England, the airport was renamed Humberside Airport to match the new name of the local area.

Humberside Airport has seen significant developments over the years, including the extension of its main runway in 1992, enabling the operation of much larger aircraft. The Concorde even landed and took off from the airport several times in the 1990s. The airport has also witnessed fluctuations in passenger numbers, peaking in the early to mid-2000s with around 500,000 passengers annually, before dropping to about 200,000 in 2016.

Humberside Airport is particularly notable for its helicopter operations. It is a major base for helicopter flights to the North Sea gas platforms, supporting offshore gas storage and drilling operations for companies like BP and Centrica Storage. In 2011, there were over 8,000 air transport helicopter movements, and in 2016, this number was still significant at 5,000 movements, making it the fourth-highest in the UK.

Several helicopter companies have been associated with the airport. Bristow Helicopters operated a UK Search and Rescue base at Humberside from April 2015, and they also provide services to the offshore industry. Bond Offshore Helicopters, now known as Babcock, had a presence at the airport until they moved their operations to Norwich in 2016. CHC and UNI-FLY are the remaining helicopter companies based at Humberside, with CHC supporting North Sea wind farm construction projects.

Passenger numbers

Humberside Airport is located in North Lincolnshire, UK, and serves several areas, including Lincolnshire, Hull, and parts of Yorkshire. The airport straddles three counties within Lincolnshire, along with the nearby East Riding of Yorkshire county. It is situated on the southern side of the River Humber, with the Humber Bridge connecting Hull and Scunthorpe.

The airport has a mix of scheduled flights and seasonal charter services, with scheduled services offered by KLM and Eastern Airways. In the year up to November 2022, Humberside Airport handled 88,000 passengers, a significant decrease from its peak in the early to mid-2000s when it served around 500,000 passengers annually. As of 2019, the airport saw approximately 200,000 passengers per year.

Humberside Airport faces competition from other regional airports, such as East Midlands Airport and Leeds Bradford Airport, which offer a wider range of scheduled passenger flights. The closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport in November 2022 may provide an opportunity for Humberside Airport to grow and attract more passengers. Local council members have expressed support for the airport, anticipating increased demand from both leisure and business travellers.

The airport has a limited route network, but it offers scheduled flights to destinations such as Amsterdam, Aberdeen, and Palma de Mallorca. There are also seasonal services to Cornwall Airport Newquay, Jersey, and Majorca. Internationally, the airport operates year-round flights to Esbjerg in Denmark and Bourgas in Bulgaria. In addition to passenger flights, Humberside Airport is home to several helicopter companies, including three of the biggest UK helicopter operators, serving the offshore wind industry and gas and oil operations.

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