Bournemouth Airport (BOH)
History, Facts and Overview

(Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK)

Established in 1941, during the middle of the Second World War, Bournemouth International Airport's first incarnation was in the form of military base, RAF Hurn. Commercial flights began in the mid-1940s and even included a service to Australia, the first of its kind. However, it was not until the early 1980s that Bournemouth Airport was championed as a commercial airport, and at that time it was completely overhauled.

The arrival of cheap-haul airlines in 2005, such as both easyJet and Ryanair, was a definite turning point for the airport and regular services were offered to locations such as Dublin and the Channel Islands.


Bournemouth International Airport is currently owned by the Manchester Airports Group, who have recently commissioned major improvements at the cost of over £30 million. These include a new international terminal building and additional car parking spaces.

Facilities at Bournemouth Airport are fairly limited and comprise a reasonably sized newsagents, 'Alpha Tax' duty free shopping in the Departure Lounge, and several onsite eateries, such as the Food Village. Although there is no actual business centre at Bournemouth International Airport (BOH), the Internet and games café provides Internet and computer access.