Islay Airport

Islay Airport Port-adhair Ìle
IATA: ILY – ICAO: EGPI
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Highlands and Islands Airports Limited
Serves	Islay
Location	Glenegedale, Argyll and Bute
Elevation AMSL	56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates
Map
EGPI Location in Scotland
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 13/31 1,545 5,069 Asphalt 08/26 635 2,083 Asphalt
Statistics (2007)
Movements 2,650 Passengers 28,486
Sources: UK AIP at NATS Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority

Islay Airport (IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI) (also known as Glenegedale Airport) is located 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) north northwest of Port Ellen on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for air ambulances.

History

The first airports appeared in Islay in the 1930s. However, these were just grass strips. In 1940, during World War II, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill ordered military airports to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland and also to provide reconnaissance planes a base to fly missions over the Atlantic Ocean. The present Islay airport was constructed in 1940, and received a concrete runway in 1942. During World War II, over 1,500 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel were stationed at Islay Airport.

On 29 June 1994, The Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF on the runway of the airport. No one was injured, however the plane was badly damaged.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Flybe operated by Loganair	Glasgow-International
Hebridean Air Services	Colonsay, Oban

See also

• RAF Kilchiaran

External links

• Official website for Islay Airport