Not so long ago, Coventry Airport, was a handy transport hub for travellers in the West Midlands.
Budget airline Wizz Air operated flights to Poland from the airport until 2008, and its runway was graced by none other than Pope John Paul II back in 1982, who flew in via helicopter from Coventry.
These days, air traffic to Coventry is a little quieter, serving just the Air Ambulance Service and private charter flights.
But now, after 90 years, Coventry is set to close its doors on June 11, 2026, to allow the construction of a battery gigafactory.
The Greenpower Park site is a collaboration between the City Council and the airport, which received £23 million in funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority in January this year.
It brings an end to Coventry Airport’s long aviation history — it actually started life RAF base during WWII, when it went by the name Baginton Aerodome.
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Not everyone is impressed with this decision though.
Isabella Boneham said on X: ‘I think Coventry Airport closing is a real shame — not only for the city and its history, but for travel in the West Midlands.
‘It could have been a commercial airport again in the future with domestic and European flights. Who wants a battery gigafactory?’
‘Once an airport, always an airport. Part of our history will be lost again. Leave it as it is and attract more airlines,’ added Coventry Live reader Ivorquestion1.
More on the gigafactory…
The new gigafactory was initially given planning permission back in 2022, and now the UK Civil Aviation Authority has been informed of its planned closure.
‘Coventry Aerodrome has given formal notice to us of its plan to close the airport permanently with effect from 11 June 2026,’ a spokesperson for the CAA said.
Speaking about the notice to the CAA, the Rigby Group (which owns the airport) said: ‘This procedural submission, first envisaged when local planning approval for Green Power Park was granted in 2022, enables the next phase of infrastructure work for the site to proceed.’
The site is located within the West Midlands Investment Zone — a government initiative intended to develop the region’s manufacturing sector through the support of three key sites: the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, the Coventry & Warwick Gigapark, and the Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor.
It’s predicted that more than 30,000 jobs will be created and attract a possible £5.5 billion in private investment, according to the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The whole development is intended to be a hub for automotive investment, including opportunities for suppliers, a UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, technology parks, new office developments and retail and leisure opportunities.
Who’ll be affected by the closure of Coventry airport?
While no commercial passenger flights operate out of Coventry Airport, the Air Ambulance Service will be affected.
But a spokesperson for the life-saving service said the planned closure would ‘not impact the vital work’ of charity in the area, in an attempt to reassure the public their medical emergencies would still be answered.
‘We have been working closely with Coventry Airport owners and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure our missions can continue to fly from Coventry Airport after other operations cease,’ they said.
It’s a temporary situation for the Air Ambulance service which will construct a new airbase, more details of which will be released in the new year.
‘[It] will allow us to maintain the highest standards of care, provide appropriate facilities for our crews, and continue delivering rapid lifesaving services,’ they added. ‘We want to thank everyone for the support which makes sure we are there for those that need us every day.’
Coventry Aeroplane Club and Nimroad Preservation group (both flight schools) will be impacted also. However, residents won’t be asked to move for the construction of the site, so they can still use it for the time being.
The Doncaster Sheffield Airport closure
Back in 2022, Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed due to its landowner and operator the Peel Group claiming it was no longer financially viable.
This was despite a campaign by politicians, the South Yorkshire metro mayor Oliver Coppard and locals to keep it open.
Tui’s final flight from the airport was to Tenerife on October 28, while Wizz Air’s final flight took off on October 30. Both operators then moved services to Leeds Bradford.
At its peak it processed more than a million passengers a year, flying to 50 destinations.
But a new development in November this year saw councillors agree to take out a £57 million load to re-open the airport, with the overall cost of opening the airport projected to be £193 million.
That doesn’t mean it’ll stay open though, with councillors warned that if airport operating costs rise by 20% in the first three years, it will likely have to shut its doors once more.
Now, freight operations are expected to start in 2027, with a fully operational airport including passenger flights planned for summer 2028.
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