Moment Jet2 plane lands at Blackpool Airport - generating massive community interest and sparking memories

Footage shows the moment a Jet2 plane landed at Blackpool Airport earlier this week.

The Jet2 Boeing charter flight was reportedly carrying representatives of Ipswich Town FC, who took the flight to the resort before continuing their journey to Blackburn Rovers’ Ewood Park for their match.

Observers felt that the plane’s arrival rolled back the years to a decade before, when the airport last operated commercial flights.

Blackpool last operated as a public airport with commercial flights on October 15 2014, when the terminal and air traffic control were officially closed to commercial services. Although limited commercial services resumed briefly in April 2015, they ended in March 2017.

The airport currently operates for business, executive travel, and other general aviation activities, but not for scheduled commercial passenger flights.

The airport is run by Blackpool Airport Operations Ltd , a subsidiary of owners Blackpool Council.

Steve Peters, Airport Managing Director, said: “It was great to welcome a privately chartered Jet2 aircraft to Blackpool Airport, we know it generated a lot of interest in the local community.

“The private charter was handled by the airport teams including security, fire department and air traffic control, and the team at Hangar 3, and made full use of the airport’s new passenger handling facilities.

“It also provided an opportunity for Hangar 3 to utilise new ground handling equipment, which has been purchased specifically to support an increase in larger aircraft movements.

“Blackpool Airport continues to be an important hub for aviation services including offshore helicopter support, general aviation, medevac, corporate, charter flights and aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul operations, facilitated and supported by the airport team of 55 people, our based customers and shareholder.

"There are no plans to reintroduce short haul scheduled commercial flights, however scheduled domestic flights are a possibility in the medium term.”