LaGuardia Airport opened in New York 75 years ago today, and has since handled countless millions of passengers – including Marilyn Monroe – and 26,722,183 in 2013. But it’s still some way off being the world’s oldest.
Albany International
Founded: 1928
Passengers in 2013: 2,393,506
While an airport was established in Albany, New York, in 1909, with early aviation pioneers such as Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh stopping there, the airport was moved to the current site in 1928.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, US
Founded: 1920
Passengers in 2013: 33,897,335
Visited by Howard Hughes on his round-the-world flight in 1938, Minneapolis-St. Paul is currently served by 14 airlines, with Delta being by far its biggest customer.
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport, Australia
Founded: 1920
Passengers in 2013: 36,964,734
Established in 1920, with regular flights starting in 1924, Sydney Kingsford Smith remains the only major hub to serve the city and is the headquarters of Qantas.
Paris-Le Bourget Airport, France
Founded: 1919
Passengers in 2013: general aviation traffic only.
The French capital’s only airport until work began on Paris-Orly in 1932, Le Bourget is where Hitler began his one and only tour of Paris in June 1940. It closed to international traffic in 1977 and regional traffic in 1980, but hosts the Paris Air Show every two years. Pictured here is Charles Lindbergh.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, The Netherlands
Founded: 1916
Passengers in 2013: 52,527,699
The busiest of the world’s elderly airports, Amsterdam Schiphol was established as a military airbase in 1916 and has been used by civilian aircraft since 1920.
Rome Ciampino Airport, Italy
Founded: 1916
Passengers in 2013: 4,749,251
Opened in 1916 and here seen welcoming Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Ciampino suffered decades of stagnation following the opening of Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in 1960, but was revitalised by low-cost carriers. Ryanair now operates almost every service to and from the airport.
Picture: GETTY
Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand
Founded: 1914
Passengers in 2013: 16,479,227
A major US command hub during the Vietnam War, Don Mueang was closed for several months in 2011 due to flooding.
Bremen Airport, Germany
Founded: 1913
Passengers in 2012: 2,447,001
Early customers at Bremen included KLM, the world’s oldest airline. It was used as an airbase by the US army from 1945 until 1949.
Bucharest Aurel Vlaicu Airport, Romania
Founded: 1912
Passengers in 2013: 6,036 The hub for the airline TAROM during the communist period, Aurel Vlaicu is now solely used by charter flights and private jets.
Shoreham Airport, UK
Founded: 1911
Passengers in 2013: 1,500 (approximately)
Britain’s oldest continuously operating airport, found in Sussex, is now used solely by light aircraft.
Note: the site of Blackpool Airport was first used for aviation in 1909, but soon became a racecourse and then a military hospital. Flights did not resume until the 1930s.
Hamburg Airport, Germany
Founded: 1911
Passengers in 2013: 13,502,939
Opened in January 1911, Hamburg Airport was used as a staging area during the Berlin Airlift in 1948.
College Park Airport, Maryland, US
Founded: 1909
Passengers in 2013: general aviation traffic only.
Known as “the cradle of aviation”, this was where the first aeroplane – a Wright Type A biplane – was uncrated and assembled on October 7, 1909.
SOURCE:::: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
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