Lydd International Airport | |||||||||||
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 LAA runway | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | London Ashford Airport Ltd. | ||||||||||
| Serves | London, East Sussex and Kent | ||||||||||
| Location | Lydd, Kent | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 13 ft / 4 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 50°57′22″N 000°56′21″E / 50.95611°N 0.93917°E | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  EGMD Location in Kent | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2017) | |||||||||||
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London Ashford Airport (IATA: LYX, ICAO: EGMD) is 1 NM (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) east of the town of Lydd and 12 NM (22 km; 14 mi) south of Ashford in the district of Folkestone and Hythe, in Kent, England. Originally named Lydd Ferryfield, it is now also known as London Ashford Airport. The airport is operated by London Ashford Airport Ltd, controlled by Saudi businessman Fahad Al Athlel.[1][3][4][5][6]
Lydd Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P858) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (London Ashford Airport Limited). The airport is currently not able to handle aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737 or Airbus A319 but permission was granted in 2013 to extend the runway by 294 m to allow for them. Lydd Air is based at the airport, and had regular flights to Le Touquet Airport in northern France, a service which ended in December 2018.[7][8][9]
The airport lies adjacent to the unique landscape of Dungeness, a cuspate foreland that is one of the largest expanses of shingle beach in Europe and which is of international conservation importance for its geomorphology, plant and invertebrate communities and birdlife, a fact that is recognised by its designations as a national nature reserve, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest of Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay. This proximity led to strong opposition to plans to expand. The local planning authority granted permission with conditions to build a 294 m (965 ft) runway extension and a new terminal building in 2012. This will allow it to handle fully loaded Boeing 737 or Airbus A319 aircraft.[6][8][10]
- ^ a b "Lydd – EGMD". NATS - Aeronautical Information Service. 2010. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ CAA 2013 Stats Archived 16 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Directions". London Ashford Airport Ltd. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ "The History of Lydd Airport". London Ashford Airport Ltd. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ "Lydd Airport today is operated by London Ashford Airport Ltd.", "Our Company". London Ashford Airport Ltd. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ a b Bowcott, Owen (10 April 2010). "Lydd highlights battle between airport expansion and eco-concerns". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "The Future of Lydd Airport". London Ashford Airport Ltd. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ "Lydd - the fastest way to France". Lydd Air. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ McVeigh, Tracy (15 January 2012). "Dungeness's strange beauty under threat from shingle plan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2015.