| Islay Airport Port-adhair Ìle |
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| IATA: ILY – ICAO: EGPI | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Highlands and Islands Airports Limited | ||
| Serves | Islay | ||
| Location | Glenegedale, Argyll and Bute | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 56 ft / 17 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Map | |||
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EGPI
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 13/31 | 1,545 | 5,068 | Asphalt |
| 08/26 | 635 | 2,083 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2007) | |||
| Movements | 2,650 | ||
| Passengers | 28,486 | ||
| Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2] |
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Islay Airport (IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI) (also known as Glenegedale Airport) is located 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) north northwest of Port Ellen[1] on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.
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The first airports appeared in Islay in the 1930s. However, these were just grass strips. In 1940, during World War II, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill ordered military airports to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland and also to provide reconnaissance planes a base to fly missions over the Atlantic Ocean. The present Islay airport was constructed in 1940, and received a concrete runway in 1942. During World War II, over 1,500 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel were stationed at Islay Airport.
On 29 June 1994, The Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF on the runway of the airport. No one was injured, however the plane was badly damaged.[3][4]
Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for air ambulances There is also a cafe.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Flybe operated by Loganair | Glasgow-International |
| Hebridean Air Services | Colonsay, Oban |
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