Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 5, 2026

Islay Airport

Islay Airport is located 5 miles (8 km) north-northwest of Port Ellen on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for air ambulances.

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Jun 5, 2026
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Islay Airport
Port-adhair Ìle
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorHIAL
ServesIslay
LocationIslay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
OpenedMay 1, 1933 (1933-05-01)
Elevation AMSL56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates55°41′00″N 006°15′35″W / 55.68333°N 6.25972°W / 55.68333; -6.25972
Websitewww.hial.co.uk/islay-airport
Map
EGPI
Location in Scotland
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 1,550 5,085 Asphalt
07/25 635 2,083 Asphalt
Statistics (2025)
Passengers32,080
Passenger change 2024–25Increase 5%
Aircraft movements1,232
Movements change 2024–25Steady
Sources: UK AIP at NATS1
Statistics: UK Civil Aviation Authority23

Islay Airport (IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI) (also known as Glenegedale Airport) (Scottish Gaelic: Port-adhair Ìle) is located 5 miles (8 km) north-northwest of Port Ellen1 on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for air ambulances.

History

The aerodrome was opened in May 1933, and initially services were provided from Glasgow via Campbeltown by the Midland and Scottish Air Ferries company. However, this was short-lived as the company closed down in late 1934.4 Services were taken over by a new company, Northern & Scottish Airways who operated a De Havilland Dragon aircraft three times per week from Glasgow.5 In 1937, the company amalgamated with Highland Airways and formed Scottish Airways, who operated daily flights from Glasgow to Islay on Monday to Saturday. This service continued with minor disruptions for urgent military duties for the duration of the Second World War.6

In 1940, during the Second World War, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, ordered military airfields to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland and also to provide reconnaissance planes a base to fly missions over the Atlantic Ocean. The present Islay airport was constructed as RAF Port Ellen in 1940, and received a concrete runway in 1942. During the Second World War, over 1,500 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen.7

The following units were here at some point:8

On 1 February 1947, Scottish Airways Ltd and its subsidiary company Western Isles Airways Ltd was taken over by British European Airways Corporation as part of the nationalisation of transport services under the Civil Aviation Act of 1946.11 In 1948, a question was raised in the House of Commons in relation to the number of staff (17) currently employed.12

On 28 September 1957, de Havilland Heron 1B G-AOFY, while operating a flight for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service, crashed on approach to Islay, in bad weather. The three occupants, Captain T.M. Calderwood, radio officer Hugh McGinlay, and Sister Jane Kennedy from Glasgow's Southern General Hospital were killed.13 One of the remaining two Herons was named Sister Jean Kennedy after the nurse; the other after James Young Simpson, a Scottish pioneer in anaesthetics.14 This was the first crash in the history of the Scottish Air Ambulance Service.

On 29 June 1994, the Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 Squadron RAF. Although no one was injured, the plane was damaged.1516

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Loganair Glasgow17

Statistics

Passenger numbers at Islay Airport
Rank Airport Year Passengers handled change from previous year
1 Glasgow 2017 32,64418
1 Glasgow 2018 32,77519
1 Glasgow 2019 34,99220
1 Glasgow 2020 8,90721 Decrease75%
1 Glasgow 2021 12,76122 Increase43%
1 Glasgow 2022 26,14823 Increase104%
1 Glasgow 2023 28,92624 Increase10.6%
1 Glasgow 2024 30,53525 Increase5.5%
1 Glasgow 2025 32,06726 Increase5%
See also

See also

References

References

Citations

  1. "EGPI Islay". NATS eAIS. 16 April 2026. pp. AD 2.2, AD 2.12. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  2. "UK airport data 2025 / Annual / Table 09 Passengers". CAA.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  3. "UK airport data 2025 / Annual / Table 04.1 Movements". CAA.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  4. "Air Services to Islay and Campbeltown". The Scotsman. Scotland. 17 September 1934. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "New Scots Air Co. Glasgow, Kintyre and Islay Service to be reopened". The Scotsman. Scotland. 27 November 1934. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "War Service". Daily Record. Scotland. 7 November 1945. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. Shaw, Robbie (January–February 2015). "Serving the Southern Hebrides". Airports of the World. No. 57. Key Publishing Ltd. pp. 80–83.
  8. "Port Ellen (Glenegedale) (Islay)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  9. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 233.
  10. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 116.
  11. "B.E.A.C. takes over today". The Scotsman. Scotland. 1 February 1947. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Commons Questions. Islay Aerodrome "Shocking Waste of Personnel"". The Scotsman. Scotland. 22 January 1948. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Three die in 'flying lifeboat'". The People. Scotland. 29 September 1957. Retrieved 25 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland DH-114 Heron 1B G-AOFY Islay-Glenegedale (ILY)". Aviation Safety Network. 28 September 1957. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  15. Prince gives up flying royal aircraft
  16. Official report [archive.org]
  17. Liu, Jim. "Loganair NS24 Service Changes – 25FEB24". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  18. "Airport data 2017 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  19. "Airport data 2018 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  20. "Airport data 2019 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  21. "Airport data 2020 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  22. "Airport data 2021 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  23. "Airport data 2022 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  24. "Airport data 2023 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  25. "Airport data 2024 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
  26. "Airport data 2025 Table 12.3 | UK Civil Aviation Authority". Retrieved 12 May 2026.

Bibliography

  • Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
External links

Media related to Islay Airport at Wikimedia Commons