A Brief History

Speke Airport, as originally known, was 'officially' opened in the summer of 1933. In the late 1930s Liverpool had increasing demand for Irish Sea crossings and a distinctive passenger terminal, control tower and two large aircraft hangars were built.

During World War II, was known as RAF Speke and Rootes Motors built many bombers here. Lockheeds also assembled many types including Hudsons and Mustangs, that had been shipped from the USA to Liverpool Docks.

In 1966, a new runway was opened on a new site to the east of the existing airfield which enabled the airport to be open for business around the clock. A new modern passenger terminal, adjacent to the runway on the southern airfield site, opened in 1986, following the closure of the original 1930s building.

The original terminal building, famously seen on early television footage with its terraces packed with Beatles fans, was left derelict for over a decade after being replaced in 1986 but has recently been renovated and adapted to become the Marriott Liverpool South Hotel.

In 1990 ownership of the airport was privatized, and in 2000, work on a £42.5 million modern passenger terminal began, tripling the its size and passenger capacity. There have since been further extensions to fulfill the airport's strategy is to cater largely for 'low cost' operators.

2002 saw the airport being renamed in honour of the late John Lennon twenty-two years after Lennon's death.On the roof is painted the airport's motto, "Above us, only sky" - a line from the song "Imagine": .

Traffic

John Lennon Airport is one of Europe's fastest growing, having increased its annual passenger numbers from 875,000 in 1998 to over 4.4 million in 2005.