Carlisle Lake District Airport in the UK’s North West has relaunched for business and scheduled passenger flights after a multi-million pound upgrade.
Carlisle Lake District Airport provides close access to Cumbria and southwest Scotland, including the UK’s Lake District National Park and the Pennines.
The official re-opening of the airport took place on July 4, 2019 after the completion of a £15 million (US$18.6 million) upgrade program that included the building of a new terminal building and runway improvements earlier this year. The airport was due to reopen last year but suffered setbacks including a shortage of air traffic control staff and construction delays.
The work was funded by the Stobart Group, which has owned and operated the airport since 2009 and with £4.9 million (US$6 million) from a local enterprise partnership.
Infrastructure update
The airport, which once served as an RAF airfield, has been updated with a modern terminal, a Café and new runways and taxiways.
The airport offers a professional executive handling service and offers services including flight planning, a corporate executive lounge with meeting and conference facilities, catering services, apron transfers, hangar space and private helicopter charter operation.
The runway can handle aircraft up to the size of Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s, although its relatively small terminal means the airport can handle aircraft with a maximum of 80 passengers.
Passenger flights
The relaunch also sees the return of scheduled passenger flights to other regions of the UK for the first time in 26 years.
Commercial flights will run five days a week, with no flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to Dublin in Ireland, Belfast in Northern Ireland and Southend in the south east of England.
Speaking after the relaunch, the secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell said, “I really welcome this new route between Carlisle and London Southend.
“The South of Scotland and northernmost parts of England operate as a single economic area and this will bring benefits to the region both sides of the border, enhancing connectivity and offering consumers more choice in how to travel. This is an exciting time for the region.”
Kate Willard, director of partnership development for Stobart Group, said, “Not only is this airport a significant new part of the Northern Powerhouse’s transport infrastructure – it is also a shining beacon of confidence and pride for Cumbria, Carlisle, the wider Lake District region and the Borderlands. We are made up to see this amazing project launch.”
