Birmingham International Airport becomes Birmingham Airport

Birmingham International Airport has become simply Birmingham Airport, as it begins using a new name and brand this month.

The change, which started to be used in November, is part of a drive to raise the airport's profile as it pursues plans to attract more long-haul flights.

From Elmdon to Birmingham

The airport has come a long way since it opened as Elmdon Airport on 8 July 1939. The opening ceremony was performed by the Duchess of Kent, accompanied by the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Its art deco terminal, which also housed the control tower, was used until 1984 and still stands today.

The first services flew to places including Croydon, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Southampton, but civilian flights were soon interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War.

Wartime

During the war, Elmdon was requisitioned and used by the RAF and the Royal Navy for flying training. Its grass airstrip was replaced by two hard runways. Lancaster and Stirling bombers built at the Austin shadow factory near Longbridge were taken by road to Elmdon, with their wings removed, to be reassembled and test flown. Civilian flights resumed in 1946.

A modern airport

A new terminal opened in 1984, alongside the world's first commercial maglev link, which carried passengers the short distance to Birmingham International railway station. The maglev was replaced by a cable-hauled people mover in 2003.

Last year, the airport opened a new international pier, marking its 70th anniversary by welcoming an Airbus A380, the first commercial A380 flight in the UK outside Heathrow.

Longer runway planned

The airport's big ambition is to extend its runway so that larger aircraft can fly direct to more distant destinations, such as China, India and the west coast of the United States. The extension would require the diversion of part of the A45 Coventry Road.

Supporters say the extension is vital to the region's economy, allowing businesses to trade with fast-growing markets. Some residents living near the airport are worried about the impact of more flights.

Why drop "International"?

The airport says the shorter name is simpler and more recognisable. The name of the neighbouring railway station, Birmingham International, is not changing.

Owned by local councils

The airport was originally owned and run by Birmingham City Council. It is now owned by a group including the seven local councils of the area, along with private investors.

It handles millions of passengers a year and is one of the busiest airports in the country outside London, serving holiday and business destinations across Europe and beyond.