A UK airport has officially ceased all flights from today ahead of its permanent closure next month. Coventry Airport, which has been operational for 90 years, will shut its doors for good on June 11, 2026, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
End of an Era for Coventry Airport
The CAA confirmed that Coventry Airport has given formal notice of its plan to close permanently. The site, originally established in 1936 as Baginton Aerodrome, served as RAF Baginton during the Second World War. Over the decades, it accommodated freight, small aircraft, and occasional commercial flights. Notably, the airport hosted a Papal visit in 1982 when Pope John Paul II drew an estimated 350,000 people to the site.
Transition to Greenpower Park
The airport will be replaced by Greenpower Park, a multi-billion-pound facility dedicated to vehicle battery production and recycling. Located within the West Midlands Investment Zone, a government initiative to boost manufacturing, the project is expected to create more than 30,000 jobs and attract up to £5.5 billion in private investment, according to the West Midlands Combined Authority.
History of Passenger Flights
Hards Travel began operating package flights to Spain, France, and Italy from the airport in the 1990s, and Thomsonfly launched jet passenger services in 2004. However, since 2008, no passenger flights have operated from Coventry Airport. The closure has prompted mixed reactions from locals, who reflect on its rich history and express concerns about the impact on local businesses and the community.
