Squires Gate hosts the first official aviation meeting 18-23rd October 1909

200,000 spectators consume 500 cases of champagne, 36,000 bottles of beer and 1,000 hams

Frenchman Henri Farman sets the first official British flight record of 47 miles

By 1911 Squires Gate becomes a racecourse – the first race was the £1,000 Coronation Gold Cup

WW1 breaks out and the land is used for the King’s Lancashire Military Convalescent home

In 1919 the A.V. Roe Company offers pleasure flights from South Shore for five shillings

An Air Pageant is staged again at Squires Gate in 1928 with 73 aircraft from the RAF

Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald opens an aerodrome at a new site Stanley Park in 1931 at a cost of £39,000

Operators include the British Amphibious Air Company running trips to the Isle of Man for 36 shillings (£1.80)

By 1933 rival operators start flying again from Squires Gate including Imperial Airways

War breaks out in 1939 and Squires Gate and Stanley Park airfields are used by the RAF

1941-45 the Vickers Company build 3,842 Wellington Bombers at Squires Gate

Post war Stanley Park airfield ceases to operate and the focus for development becomes Squires Gate

The airport is redesigned in 1949 and by 1950, 25,000 passengers go through the airport

More airlines are attracted including: Silver City Airways, Pegasus Airways and Jersey Airlines

The airport’s factory produces Hawker Hunters during the Korean War in the 1950s

The range of aircraft seen at Blackpool include: Rapides, Austers, Dakotas, Herons and Bristol Freighters

Blackpool Corporation assumes control of the airport from the Government on 1st April 1962

The airport continues to grow and by the 1980s there is a significant increase in air traffic movements and passenger numbers

Cosmos Holidays were also operating ‘Landladies Specials’ – holiday package tours from Blackpool to the Mediterranean!

Private and Club Flying becomes increasingly popular

In 1987 Blackpool Airport was recognised as a Private Limited Company with Blackpool Borough Council as 100% shareholder

The choice of routes rises to over 20 European destinations

MAR Properties Ltd purchases the airport in 2004 and invests £2m to refurbish the passenger terminal

Former England rugby captain Bill Beaumont OBE officially opens the new facilities including faster check-in facilities, more retail outlets and spacious seating areas

May 2008, Regional and City Airports Ltd, the aviation arm of Balfour Beatty acquires 95% of the newly named and rebranded ‘Blackpool International for Lancashire and The Lake District’

2009, Blackpool International is named passenger favourite in a survey by Which? Holiday Magazine.

October 2014 – Blackpool International Airport closed for commercial traffic

December 2014 – Blackpool Airport reopened as a CAT 2 airfield

April 2015 – Citywing commenced daily flights to the Isle of Man

April 2016 – Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone was established with a 25 year lifespan