Prestwick Airport - Facts, Figures and History

Facts

Glasgow Prestwick is Scotland's fastest-growing airport, with some 1.4 million passengers using the airport in 2002 and over 2million already confirmed for 2003.
Glasgow Prestwick is Scotland's only rail-connected airport, with some 30% of passengers arriving by "AirTrain".
Glasgow Prestwick claims to be Scotland's best-value airport, home to 2 major low cost carriers Ryanair and flyglobespan.com.
Glasgow Prestwick delivers proportionally more inbound tourists than any other Scottish airport.
Glasgow Prestwick is only 40 minutes away from Glasgow city by a direct rail connection from the airport terminal to Glasgow Central Station.
Glasgow Prestwick has the largest runway and parallel taxiway north of Manchester plus a second runway of 1,829 metres means all types of aircraft can be accommodated with no requirement for extension.
Glasgow Prestwick has existing terminal capacity of 3.0 million passengers which is easily and cost effectively expandable to more than 10.0 million passengers.
Glasgow Prestwick has a lower environmental impact than other central belt airports - air approaches to the airport are either over sea or sparsely-populated farmland.
No additional land is required for expansion - the airport occupies an 880-acre site with sufficient land for expansion of passenger, freight and maintenance activities.
Glasgow Prestwick handles more airfreight than all the other Scottish airports put together.
Glasgow Prestwick has more B747 freighter operations than any other UK airport.

History

The story of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport was said to have begun in 1934 when a few small planes started using ‘the Meadows’ at the end of Monkton Village. However recently historians have discovered evidence that aircraft were on or near the site as far back as 1913, only 10 years after the Wright Brothers first took to the air.

Before the war, the site developed as a training airfield. Its pioneer, David McIntyre, set up Scottish Aviation Ltd in 1935 and proceeded to acquire 348 acres of Ayrshire countryside just behind Orangefield House. By the end of the year, he had developed accommodation on the site, including a hangar for Tiger Moth bi-planes, some offices and lecture rooms, and even a small control tower.

As World War II intervened, the site advanced into a major airport, with regular deliveries of American aircraft under the Lend Lease programme. On some days up to 300 aircraft would arrive for onward delivery! At this time, training was replaced by aircraft production, undertaken by Scottish Aviation Ltd. Many famous aircraft types were built at Prestwick Airport right up until production of the BAe Jetstream ceased in 1998. The original factory was expanded beyond all recognition in 1941 when the Palace of Engineering that was originally built in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow for the 1938 Empire Exhibition was taken down, transported, then rebuilt brick by brick at Prestwick. This magnificent building (an excellent example of Art Deco architecture) survives to this day under the ownership of British Aerospace Engineering Systems and can be seen on the North side of the airport directly opposite the terminal.

Orangefield House

Unfortunately, Orangefield House, is a building that has not survived the expansion of the airport. Built in 1690 by a local landlord named Dr Hugh Baillie, Orangefield House became the main terminal building for the airport in the post-war era. It was famed for its restaurant and hotel facilities, but the appearance of the building was hardly enhanced by the addition of the control tower onto the roof! Sadly, in 1966, Orangefield House was demolished to make way for a new parallel taxiway, thus becoming a victim of the introduction of the jet-age. The only known relics from Orangefield House are the murals which once decorated the main lounge (now sited in the Prestwick Indoor Bowling Rink) and the maple floor which now graces the Aviator Suite function room in the present terminal building.

The Government announced in 1958, in order to maintain the airport’s place at the leading edge of modern aviation, plans for a new terminal building, freight building, runway extension, control tower and loop road around the airport. The latter was necessary because the original main road out of Prestwick Airport towards Monkton passed across the runway! By April 1962 a new control tower had been built and by September 1964, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, officially opened the present terminal building.

Elvis Visits Prestwick

Glasgow Prestwick International Airport is closely tied with the history of Scottish Aviation. One of its more memorable moments, when it was the transatlantic gateway during the 1960’s to 1980’s, was Elvis’ visit in 1960. However, according to some, the airport’s future has never been brighter, confirming the foresight in 1964 of the airport architects and planners in designing a facility capable of handling 3 million passengers a year now looks certain to be justified.