History Of Bristol Airport
In 1927, a group of local businessmen started a flying club at Filton Aerodrome. Just 2 years later, the project had garnered so much interest that a new airport was required.
In 1930, the new airport opened in the village of Whitchurch and, at the time, it was only the third civil airport in the country. Operations continued at the Whitchurch site, but it was not seen as a long-term solution as expansion opportunities were limited. In 1955, the former RAF airfield at Lulsgate Bottom was purchased, before being opened by The Duchess of Kent in 1957.
The airport has undergone significant expansion in the years since, with facilities being improved to cater to the ever-growing number of passengers passing through the airport each year. In 2000, annual passenger numbers passed 2 million for the first time, increasing to over 8 million in 2021. Further expansion is planned, with in excess of 10 million passengers expected to travel from Bristol Airport each year in the near future.