THERE’s a tiny airport in the UK that handles just a few hundred passengers each day and has seating for just 30 people.
The small transport hub has only one route available for passengers – a short 19-mile trip that takes around 20 minutes to complete.
GettyLand’s End airport in Cornwall handles just a few hundred passengers each day[/caption]
AlamySkybus flights take just 20 minutes from Land’s End to the Isles of Scilly and hold 19 passengers[/caption]
AlamyPlanes fly between the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall Monday – Saturday every week[/caption]
Land’s End airport in Cornwall connects passengers to and from the Isles of Scilly.
The planes are just 19-seaters, meaning several journeys have to take place each day to get everyone to and from the islands.
Flights operate Monday to Saturday all year round.
Skybus, who operates the flights, has been operating a scheduled air service to the Isles of Scilly for nearly 45 years.
However, the history of the airport dates back more than twice as long.
Its website explains: “It was 40 years before this in 1935 when landing rights were secured between Penzance and St Mary’s by Cobham Air Services.
“Preparations started at a field in Kelynack, Land’s End with a 2,100 ft. runway, 4,080-sf ft. hangar, booking office, fuel store and basic servicing facilities.”
The site soon came to be known as Land’s End Airport and the first scheduled flights took off from there on September 15, 1937.
The first one had just four passengers on board, but the flights very quickly became more popular, building to the multi-service operation in place today.
The website revealed exactly how much it benefited residents nearby, particularly to those living in Scilly.
They continued: “One of the passengers was the islands’ oldest resident, John Mumford, who as a boy, had sometimes taken as long as fifteen hours to make the crossing by sea.”
Since then the terminal has been developed a fair bit, with a modern café area, seating for up to 30 people and panoramic views of the airfield and out towards Longships Lighthouse and the Isles of Scilly.
There are also outdoor patio areas, internet access and full disabled facilities.
There is a baggage handling facility, a dedicated arrivals area, Air Traffic Control tower, two secure car parks and two hangars housing engineering facilities as well, making it much more than just a little airstrip.
Visiting the airport itself isn’t too eventful, however the trip is said to be something of a unique experience.
The Skybus website says of the journey: “You’ll be flying in a 19-seater plane, where you’ll meet your pilot and watch them at work.
“It’s ‘real flying’, as one passenger put it.”
One-way flights from Land’s End to St Mary’s start from £121.50 for passengers aged 12+, fees for children aged from 2-11 start at £91.25, infant (0-1) fly from £27.25 and dogs cost £46.75.
Day return trips are available from Monday to Friday only. For 12+ prices start from £127, for children (2-11) from £101.50 and for
Infants (0-1) from £44.50.
Meanwhile, this tiny UK airport is hoping to relaunch flights to Europe.
And this airport closer to France than London but was once one of the busiest in the country.
GettyThere are panoramic views out across the sea from the airport[/caption]