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EGFH
Development of the airport
With the take over of the airport by Jaxx Landing, activity at the airport began
to increase: the Welsh Air Ambulance service based a Bölkow 105d helicopter at
the airport in March 2001; and in June 2003, a second helicopter was added. In
August 2001, gliders relocated from Aberporth back to Swansea.
Air Wales used it between 2001 and 2004, offering flights to Dublin, Cork,
Jersey, London and Europe. The venture was not successful. After 18 months of
operation, Air Wales's owner Roy Thomas had invested more than £3.25 million of
his personal fortune into the airport. The venture received only one tenth of
the passengers needed to make the business viable. The final straw came when the
CAA demanded that the airport's landing lights be overhauled at a cost of
£75,000. Roy Thomas decided to pull out of Swansea Airport and concentrate Air
Wales's operations at Cardiff International Airport instead.
As of 2005, there are no scheduled flights operating from Swansea Airport. The
Welsh Assembly Government is currently conducting studies into improving the
facilities at the airport as part of the transport infrastructure development
strategy for the whole of Wales. The improvements may require some public sector
support. Development proposals include: a new terminal building, new hangars,
upgraded operating facilities, new fencing and a new access road.
Opposition to the development
There has been widespread local opposition against the idea of further
development of the airport. The main concerns are: the impact on the
internationally important Special Area of Conservation which almost surrounds
the airport; noise from the increased number of flights at the airport; and the
negative impact of the development of the airport on the local scenery, since
Gower is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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