April 8

Taking off.

Coronavirus almost killed Cardiff airport, its Chief Executive Spencer Birns, reports today.

For months from March 2020 the runway was deserted; no passengers flying the world on business or pleasure.

I was shocked and saddened. I had been interested and involved in the airport from its opening seventy years ago when, with the closure of  the city’s first, primitive Tremorfa airport - more an airstrip - Glamorgan Rhoose airport opened later to become ‘Cardiff Wales’.

It took off dramatically from 1952, thanks to a multi-million investment by its owners, the former Glamorgan county council. 

I was there, reporting for the BBC the official opening by the Duke of Edinburgh.

My wife Rosemary and I were on the first scheduled flight by Air Lingus to Dublin on our honeymoon and twenty years later, as South Glamorgan county public relations officer,  I became its information and marketing officer, continuing for eleven years.

The airline that led the way was Dan Air, offshoot of a London transport company and the first money making route was Cardiff Amsterdam, initially using aged Dakota DC 9 planes. 

More airlines came, including British Airways and a new Air Wales, adding more routes, scheduled and for the developing holiday market.

The airport was run by a committee of officers from the three Glamorgan county councils with Eddie Mahoney pilot, as director. 

They were exciting years. I travelled widely in Europe and North America, usually with the committee chairman, promoting it. 

Our biggest success was when CPAir - Canadian Pacific - introduced its Toronto route, successful for many years.

One trip with Welsh travel agents to set up a Cardiff/Israel route was memorable.War broke out the day our team landed in Tel Aviv.

The official welcome dinner by the Israel government was interrupted when the chief host was called away by the army.

Year by year, with flights and passengers increasing, to 1.5 million, the cost of running the airport dropped until it at last made a profit. I wrote a press release with the news of the ‘windfall’ for our ratepayers.

We made promotional films, television ads, organised show days for travel agents in Wales and Europe and I gave talks to local organisations.

Highlights of the rise of our airport included the visit by the Pope in 1982, heads of government, international artists and sports stars and the regular ‘invasion ‘ of the army of rugby international supporters. 

Our initial Airport Open Day, complete with exhibition and air show, was too successful, with a massive traffic jam extending all the way from Cardiff.

One Christmas, St Nicholas, the Netherland’s Father Christmas flew in, with his white horse.

Those were indeed the days, and I am optimistic enough to believe they will come again.

Wales needs it. Wales major airport, now owned by The Welsh government that have invested £85million in it, will surely fly again.

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aifirst airport director eas Eddie Maloney, a pilot, and 

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