Stansted Airport Through Time

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Stansted Airport has changed and developed over the last 70 years.

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London Stansted Airport began life as a Second World War US air base. Handed back to the British government at the end of the war, the base soon became home to many of Britain's fledgling charter airlines such as Skyways, Kearsley Airways and London Aero & Motor Services. Used for trooping flights to India and the Far East, by 1964, the airfield was being touted as a third airport for London and it came under the British Airports Authority in 1966. The arrival of Ryanair and Air UK saw an expansion of the airport and a new terminal was opened by HM The Queen in 1991. Along with a new rail line to central London, the new terminal confirmed Stansted's place as London's third airport. A second runway has been proposed but plans are on hold at present.