The History of Gatwick Airport

The History of Gatwick dates back to 1241 and was the name of a manor that was on the site until the 19th century. The name Gatwick is derived from the anglo-saxon words gat ,goat ,and wic dairy farm ie;goat farm.

In 1891 a racecource was created at Gatwick beside the london to brighton railway, and a railway station was built with sidings for horse boxes. The course held steeplechase and flat races, during the first world war the course held the grand national.

In the 1920's land adjacent the race course at hunts green farm along tinsley green lane was used as a aerodrome and licenced in august 1930. The surrey areo club was formed in 1930 and used the hunts green farm as a club house. The redwing aircraft company bought the areodrome in 1932 and operated a flying school.

In 1933 the areodrome was sold to a invester who had plans to run it as an airport.

In 1934 the ministry approved commercial flights from Gatwick.

1936 scheduled flights were operating from gatwick to several locations on the continent. A circular terminal called the beehive designed by frank hoar was built with a subway connecting it to Gatwick race course station so that passengers could travel from London to Gatwick with out stepping in to the elements, two fatal accidents in 1936 questioned the saftey of Gatwick. Gatwick was also prone to fog and waterlogging, the new subway regularly flooded after heavy rain. As a consequence of these conditions and the need for longer landing strips British Airways moved to Croydon in 1937.

Gatwick changed back to private flying and was leased to the RAF training school. The RAF used Gatwick for maintenance. In 1939 squadren and fighters were based at gatwick and was used for repair and maintenance.after the war maintenance was continued at gatwick and a few charter companies using war surplace aircraft started to use the airport.

In 1950 the cabinet decided that Gatwick was to be designated as an alternative to Heathrow, in July 1952 it was decided the airport was to be developed and the airport closed for a extensive £7.8 million renovation between 1956 and 1958. Alfred McAlpine carried out the development at Gatwick.

On the 9th of June 1958 Queen Elizabeth II flew to Gatwick in a De Havelland Heron to perform the official opening. The main pier of what is now the South terminal was built during 1956-1958. Construction of gatwick in 1962 saw two additional piers. The new Gatwick was the first airport with a direct railway link which allowed passengers to walk under cover to waiting areas very close to aircraft with only minimal walking distance outdoors. Fully extendible jetbridge access was added when the piers were rebuilt and extended in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

British European Airways started flying from Gatwick and Bea helecopters opened a base at the airport, British West Indian and Sudan Airways were among the first overseas based airlines to serve Gatwick on a regular, sheduled basis.

From the late 1950s a number of British privately owned airlines began to establish themselves at Gatwick. The first morton air services which had shifted its entire operation to Gatwick when its previous base at Croydon closed. It was soon followed by Airwork, hunting -clan and trans air in July 1960, these airlines merged to form British United Airways through the 1960s, BUA was britains largest independant airline during that decade it became Gatwicks largest resident airline. By the end of the decade it also became Gatwick Airports leading sheduled operator with 71,000km network of short medium long hall routes stretching across three continents. These routes were served with BAC one elevens and vickers vc-10 jet aircraft.

In late November 1970 BUA was acquired by the Scotish Chater Airline Caledonian, in 1971 it was renamed British Caledonian and later transformed itself into a major sheduled airline. In November 1972 Laker became the first operator of wide body aircraft at Gatwick following the introduction of two MC Donnal Douglas DC10 tri jets. Lakers fleet expanded at Gatwick with a number of series 30 aircraft this enabled the launch of Gatwicks first daily long hall low fair no frills flight between Gatwick and New York JFK on september 1st 1977.

British Caledonian introduced its first pair in march and may 1977 the airline eventually operated a small fleet of Bowini 747s as well having acquired its first jumbo jet in 1982. A number of other independants including Dan Air and Air Europe played an important role in the developmant of Gatwick Airport and it scheduled a route network during the 1970s 80s and early 90s.

As passengers grew at Gatwick a stelit pier was added in north terminal in 1983 connected to the main terminal at Gatwick the new air traffic control tower was opened in 1984 also in the same year the non stop Gatwick express railway service was launched three was still a need for more capacity at Gatwick and so a second terminal was planned now known as Gatwick North the largest construction project south of London to take place in the 1980s. At a cost of £200 million Gatwick North was opened by Queen Elizebeth II in 1988 and was further expanded in 1991 with the opening of a second aircraft pier in 1994.

The new Gatwick North terminal departure lounge opened Gatwicks two terminal departure lounge opened gatwick has two terminals connected by a automatic rapid track transit system a major extension to Gatwick north terminal departure lounge which was completed in 2001 and in 2005 a new £110 million additional air craft pier 6 opened adding an extra 11 pier served aircraft stands linked by the worlds largest air passenger bridge to the main terminal building it spans a live aircraft taxi way giving arriving and departing Gatwick passengers views of taxi aircraft.

In 2000 a major extension to Gatwick South departure lounge was completed and in 2005 a extension and refurbishment to the baggage and reclaim hall doubling it in size.

In May 2008 another extension at Gatwick South was completed in addition to the new security search facillity, in recent years Gatwick South terminal has been used by the low cost airlines operating out of Gatwick and many former users moved to Gatwick North.