AN airport in the UK was once the biggest in the world - but was forced to scrap flights more than 60 years ago. The good news is you can visit it once a month - if you're lucky. Croydon Airport first opened in 1920, after combining Beddington and Waddon aerodromes and becoming RAF Station Croydon.
It then grew over the next decade, which included the first purpose-designed airport terminal and air traffic control tower. It was even home to the world's first airport hotel, the Aerodrome Hotel, with the development costing around £267k - around £20million in today's money . The expansion not only meant it was the biggest in the world at the time, but it became the first major international airport in the UK.
This included flights to Paris , Berlin, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, as well as flights across India, the Middle East, Africa and East Asia. It was also where the Mayday distress call was developed. Famous flyers who used the airport included Winston Churchill, who took flying lessons, as well as Amy Johnson who took the record-breaking flight to Australia in 1930.
However, the airport was forced to close to the public in 1939 following the outbreak of WWII, but was once again used by fighter pilot aircraft. Due to it's importance in the war, it was targeted and in 1940, was attacked in one of London's first raids, destroying a number of the buildings. After reopening to the public after the war, the expansion of south London resulted in other airports being built.
It lost .
