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Plymouth City Airport (IATA: PLH, ICAO: EGHD) is an airport in Plymouth, Devon, in England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Prince of Wales in 1931. The airport is located close to the city centre and has a modern terminal.

The airport is owned by Sutton Harbour Holdings Ltd., a Plymouth based company who also own Air Southwest, the only airline who now fly to Plymouth City.

Plymouth City Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P687) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.

Plymouth Airport can trace its roots back to 1923, when the first passengers joined a flight carrying mail to Croydon from a grass strip at Chelson Meadow. This successful flight, under the command of legendary air pioneer Alan Cobham, inspired Plymouth City Council to look for a permanent site for the city’s airport.

In 1925 the now popular service, helping to speed transatlantic mail from the local port to the capital, was moved to Roborough.

Plymouth Airport had found its home and was given the royal seal of approval with an official opening in July 1931 by the Prince of Wales.

The aircraft operator’s names have changed over the decades: for example Western Air Express, Olley’s Air Service and Railway Air Services.

Air travel is no novelty but an essential part of West Country business life. The modern Plymouth City Airport provides business and private travellers with regular scheduled services to various parts of the UK including London Gatwick.

Air Southwest have stated that they are evaluating potential new routes from Plymouth City Airport, potential new services would start in 2008.

The Airport's days may be numbered. In September 2007 the airport management announced that the second runway might be sold for industrial and residential development. This prompted a response from the city assets manager which indicated a review of the demand for and extent of local interest in a Plymouth Airport. The end of flights to Ireland and France together with the added security delays associated with internal airtravel when compared with moderately fast road and rail links make Plymouth Airport less attractive than before. Efforts to reinvigorate the support of the local business community meet with polite well disposed indifference. Plymouth does not have the technology to land flights in poor weather or fog. Redirection to Newquay is not convenient. The travel on time from Gatwick to Victoria adds considerably to total travel time. Trains now have better food, comfort and computer/mobile communications.

However, despite many local residents sharing the view that these developments represented the 'beginning of the end' for the Airport, in October 2007 Air Southwest announced new routes to Dublin, Cork, Chambery, Glasgow and Newcastle.

This would suggest that the proclaimed investment will be forthcoming with a local campaign for an expansion of the existing runway gathering momentum.

• Air Southwest (Bristol, Chambery, Cork, Dublin, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, London-Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay)

• Plymouth Airport official website
• [http://plymouthairportphotos.fotopic.net/
• Unofficial Plymouth City Airport website
• Plymouth Airport photo gallery
• [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?

client=public&X=251000&Y=60000&width=700&height=400&gride=251000&gridn=60500&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&pc=&zm=0&scale=10000&left.x=5&left.y=82 Multimap Aerial view]

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