Coventry Airport will cease operations permanently on June 11, 2026, with the last flights departing on May 9, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed. The closure marks the end of nearly 90 years of aviation history at the site, originally known as Baginton Aerodrome when it opened in 1936 and later used as an RAF base during World War II.
The airport has not operated scheduled passenger flights in recent years, serving mainly charter flights and flight training. The land will be redeveloped into Greenpower Park, a large-scale battery production plant or 'gigafactory' to support the UK's shift toward electric vehicles. The Rigby Group, which owns the airport, stated that the closure enables the next phase of infrastructure work for the site.
Councillor Jim O'Boyle, responsible for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council, said the project aims to create thousands of jobs and give the area an economic lift. The airport has a rich history, including a papal visit by Pope John Paul II in 1982, which drew an estimated 350,000 people.
In the 1980s, Hards Travel operated package holiday flights to Spain, France, Italy and Austria. Thomsonfly and Wizz Air also served the airport until 2008, when both airlines ceased operations there. The Rigby Group took over ownership in 2010 and fully reopened the airport later that year.
