Blackpool Airport celebrates 100 years of flying
Blackpool International Airport is marking its centenary with a series of events.
Centrepiece of the 100-year celebration is a 10-ft high giant suitcase containing an interactive exhibition which has gone on display in the airport terminal.
Blackpool hosted the country's first air show in October 1909 when 200,000 spectators gathered for Blackpool Aviation Week.
Now, exactly a century later, the airport is planning its own week of celebrations during October.
They include:
- Launch of a centenary website www.blackpoolinternational.com featuring an interactive memory bar where people can post their memories
- Interactive "100 Years Of Flying" exhibition in a giant suitcase at Blackpool International and an associated week of activities between October 18 and 24
- Ceremony to unveil new artwork in the airport terminal and burying of a time capsule on October 18
- Commemorative limited edition boarding passes for passengers
The suitcase artwork was created by Lancaster-based artist Paul Kondras who has his own special links with Blackpool's aviation history - his father was among thousands of Polish airmen billeted in Blackpool during the Second World War.