Guide to City of Derry Londonderry Airport (LDY / EGAE)

City of Derry Airport is located some 7 miles east of the city of Londonderry, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is located adjacent to the south bank of Lough Foyle and is a short distance from the village of Eglinton.

The airport currently has one main runway orientated approximately east-west with the approaches being designated ILS 08 and ILS 26 respectively. A major upgrade has recently been completed at the airport which saw the usable runway length extended and an extension to the parking apron immediately in front of the terminal building. The aircraft taxiways and holding areas were also reconstructed and widened to take modern jet aircraft.

There exists a shorter disused runway running approximately north-south which intersects the main runway with approaches previously designated 02 and 20. This shorter runway is not used by fixed-wing aircraft but is used by helicopters which air-taxi to and fro from their base located at the west end of the airfield.

The Google map for the airport shows a third runway orientated NNW by SSE. This runway actually exists on the ground but now serves only as a parking area for small aircraft and helicopters visiting the airport. Aviation sheds, fuel tanks and a fire-fighters training area have now also been constructed on this runway rendering it unusable for the foreseeable future.

Eglinton Airport, as it is known locally, has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P620) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (currently Derry City Council).

In 1941, the RAF air base at Eglinton was established as home to No. 133 Squadron RAF which flew Hurricane fighters in defence of the region. In 1942 the base was occupied by No. 41 Squadron RAF. In 1943 the airfield became a Fleet Air Arm base called HMS Gannet and was home to No. 1847 Fleet Air Arm Squadron which provided convoy air cover as part of the Second Battle of the Atlantic.

After the war the base remained a military establishment until the 1950's when the Ministry of Defence returned much of the land to the original landowners. Some limited commercial activities were undertaken at the airfield during the 1960s when Emerald Airways operated a Glasgow service. During most of the 1970's the only flying at Eglinton was carried out by Eglinton Flying Club which is still based at the airport. A recent addition was the commencement of helicopter flight training services at the airport using Robinson R22 and R44 aircraft.

In more recent times the airport attracted British Airways which operated flights to Dublin and Glasgow under the Logan Air flag. These services stopped in 2008 however, following British Airways decision to cease all operations to Northern Ireland. The Dublin route has since been taken over by Aer Arran which operates twice daily services to the Irish Capital.

Ryan Air commenced services to the UK mainland from Eglinton in 1999 and has gone from strength to strength. They now operate regular daily services to London-Stansted, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow-Prestwick and commenced twice-weekly flights to Alicante for the first time ever on 4 June 2009 and to Faro, Portugal from 1 April 2010.

Falcon Holidays currently operate summer-season holiday charter flights to Salou (Reus Airport) near Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain and have now announced that the 2010 summer season will also include flights to Burgas in Bulgaria and to Faro in Portugal.

The airport parking areas have recently been upgraded with all private vehicles including non airport taxis entering the airport now being funnelled through the main car park in front of the terminal building. This arrangement may be unusual with the first 15 minutes within the car park being free of all charges.