Lydd Ferryfield
Lydd Airport – formerly known as Ferryfield – was built for the car ferry company Silver City Airways, operating across the Channel to France, which had previously used Ashford Airport.
1954 Construction took just 6 months and it opened to traffic in July.
1955 'Lydd (Ferryfield) Airport was completed and came into service in July last year and it is now the terminal of the two short cross-Channel Air Ferries (to Le Touquet and Calais) The service to Calais was started in June last year to provide additional accommodation for those vehicle owners (and they are the vast majority) who want the quickest and easiest crossing at the most inexpensive rates.'[1]
By 1959 it was one of the busiest airports in the UK, with over 250,000 passengers annually.
Early 1970s: the advent of the Hovercraft and roll-on-roll-off ferries led to a decline of the air ferry services from Lydd although other passenger and freight operations continued.
Today the Airport, which has benefited from substantial investment by the new owner, sees a healthy mix of private and training general aviation, corporate jets and air taxis, cargo, maintenance as well as scheduled services to Le Touquet.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Shepton Mallet Journal - Friday 01 April 1955