EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT GUIDE (EMA)

QUICK FACTS Name: East Midlands Airport IATA Code: EMA ICAO Code: EGNX Opened: 1965 Terminals: 1 Runways: 1 Destinations served:90+ Passengers: 4.7m (2007)

HISTORY

The Manchester Airports Group owns and operates the East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Airport parking. Known as the Castle Donington Airfield in its early years, it was also a station for the Royal Air Force. However, the operations ceased and the base decommissioned in 1946. A consortium of local government authorities purchased the Castle Donington Airfield in 1963. After obtaining the permit for airport planning, construction of the East Midlands Airport, including the East Midlands Airport parking began in 1964. Operations of the East Midlands Airport and the East Midlands Airport parking officially began in April 1965.

A consideration for basic airfield requirements was made during the construction of the East Midlands Airport and the East Midlands Airport parking. It featured a hangar for protective storage of aircraft; a 5,850 feet runway; a ramp where the aircraft will be parked for loading, unloading and refueling; and a 60 feet taxiway to connect the runway to various facilities in the airport such as the East Midlands Airport parking.

Due to the growing cargo and passenger demands, expansion of the runway to 7,480 feet was made in 1970, and Cargo Terminal 2 was opened in 1973. By 1994, East Midlands Airport already served one million passengers, making it more obvious that further development and expansion is needed to accommodate the growing number of passengers. Owners from the local government, however, were unable to produce the funds needed for the development and expansion so the National Express Group purchased East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Airport parking in 1993.

Privatization of the East Midlands Airport and East Midlands Airport parking brought about many developments, including expansion of the East Apron, construction of a new departures building, the opening of Cargo Terminal 4, and a full extension of the runway to nearly 9,500 feet. Also in 2001, East Midlands Airport became a part of the Manchester Airports Group.

Currently, East Midlands Airport offers flight services from leading and trusted airlines such as the British Midland Airways, First Choice Airways, Thomson Airways, Eastern Airways, Aurigny Air Services, Air Europa, Onur Air, Saga Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines and Hamburg International. Low fare airlines BmiBaby, Ryanair and Jet2.com also operate in the East Midlands Airport. Air Europa, Saga Airlines, Viking Airlines and Koral Blue Airlines also offer flight services to some seasonal destinations.

The destinations to and from East Midlands Airport include Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Guernsey, Jersey, Newquary, Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Dinard, Faro, Geneva, Milan, Munich, Malta and Salsburg. Airlines in East Midlands Airport also offer long-haul flights to the Dominican Republic, Cancun and Orlando, Florida.