Since the construction of its new terminal in the early 2000s, traffic statistics at Southampton Airport have done nothing but increase. The latest data published belong to March 2013, when over 124,000 passengers passed through the airport. The total number of flight operations has also experienced steady growth; in 2005 there were 29,000 plane movements at the airport, and in 2013 there were over 43,000. All in all, more than 1.7 million passengers used the airport this past year.
The airport has only one runway. Check-in facilities were recently expanded to include 9 self-service check-in booths and 17 staffed desks. In addition, the airport has over 800 square metres of retail facilities and 2,749 car park spaces. The airport employs approximately 200 people, but more than 1,200 jobs are created either directly or indirectly from Southampton airport. Every year, the airport operations result in revenues of more than £86 million. There are twelve carriers and tour operators which offer their services at Southampton airport, serving 44 destinations in the UK and abroad. Air France and Flybe are the main carriers at the airport. There are flights to the UK, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Switzwerland, Austria, and Norway. Worldwide connections are available in Amsterdam. In 2013, the most popular international destinations for passengers using Southampton airport were Jersey (JER), Dublin (DUB), Amsterdam (AMS), and Paris (ORY).
The history of Southampton airport goes back more than one hundred years. In 1910, the original North Stoneham farm meadows, which make up the airport site today, were used by RAF pilot Edwin Rowland Moon for takeoff and landing purposes. The hangars built by American soldiers during the First World War were used as dormitories once the war was over, as there were a large number of refugees passing through the site in order to reach the Southampton Docks on their way to America. This improvised hostel was closed in 1931, and a year later the airport was officially opened under the name of Southampton Municipal Airport. Until the late 1970s, the airport only operated flights to and from the Channel Islands, London, Bristol, Plymouth, Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight, Birmingham, Glasgow, and some destinations across the Channel in France. During the following 20 years, Southampton airport underwent a series of redevelopments, which turned the facility into one of the top 20 busiest airports in the United Kingdom. Between 1990 and 2008, more than £30 million was invested in modernising and expanding the site so that it could accommodate the increasing demands from passengers and airlines.
The facility's name was changed to Southampton International Airport in 1994, and the following year it was the recipient of several awards including prize for Best Structured Steel Design, Customer Care, Building of the Year Award, and the British Construction Industry Award. Today, Southampton has kept with its reputation and has since received the Best Regional Airport, Company of the Year, Best Marketing Strategy, Top UK Airport and Third Best Airport in the World award.
Flights operated out of Southampton airport by Flybe and Air France are statistically the most likely to be delayed. On average, three flights per day were cancelled and eight were delayed in their arrival time to Southampton airport. Being a regional airport, Southampton is a good alternative for those who wish to avoid delays caused by long check-ins and security clearance queues. For live flight information passengers can visit the airport's website. In addition, passengers can register for flight updates and text messages.
Have you been one of the many passengers to experience a flight delay or cancellation at Southampton Airport? Click below to see how much you might be able to claim in compensation with the help of Flightright!