Carlisle Airport Future To Be Debated As Councillors Push For Return Of Flights
Councillors will debate proposals to restore commercial passenger flights at Carlisle Lake District Airport, with renewed services seen as a potential boost for Cumbria’s economy.
Independent councillor Robert Betton, who represents Botcherby, is due to present the motion at a Cumberland Council meeting at the Civic Centre on Tuesday, November 3. Councillor Chris Wills, the Liberal Democrat representative for Upperby, will second the proposal. The motion calls on the council to reaffirm its support for restoring sustainable commercial passenger services and to work with the airport’s owners and relevant partners to explore how flights could return.
The proposal describes the airport as an important transport and economic asset for Carlisle and the wider Borderlands region. It highlights the site’s long history, dating back to 1941, when it was established as RAF Crosby-on-Eden. Over more than eight decades, the airport has played various roles in the region’s aviation infrastructure and has supported employment and business activity.
Carlisle Lake District Airport has previously offered passenger connections to destinations including London, Belfast, Dublin and the Isle of Man. These services provided links between Cumbria and other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, while also offering potential benefits for tourism and business travel. The motion argues that restoring suitable routes could improve regional connectivity and make the area more accessible to visitors and investors.
Scheduled commercial flights returned to Carlisle in 2019 after a 26-year absence, following significant investment and the opening of a new passenger terminal. However, the services stopped in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since. The interruption has left the airport without scheduled commercial passenger flights for more than six years.
The motion expresses disappointment at the limited progress made towards restoring services despite years of discussions involving successive local government administrations and political parties. It argues that the airport’s potential as a strategic transport, tourism and economic facility has yet to be fully realised, and calls for a more concerted effort to explore realistic opportunities for its future.
Ownership of the airport changed in May 2024, when the AW Jenkinson Group took control of the site. The company committed to maintaining the airport as an aerodrome and investing in its future development. Cumberland Council remains the landlord of the site, giving the authority a continuing interest in its long-term success and the potential role it could play in the local economy.
Council leader Mark Fryer previously expressed support for efforts to bring commercial flights back to Carlisle. In July 2024, he indicated that the council would continue working with the airport’s owners and other partners to explore the possibility. The latest motion seeks to renew that commitment and encourage further discussions with organisations capable of helping to make passenger services viable.
Supporters of the proposal believe renewed flights could strengthen links between Cumbria and other destinations, making travel more convenient for residents and businesses. Better air connections could also help attract visitors to the Lake District and surrounding areas, while giving companies another option for reaching customers, suppliers and potential investors.
The motion also identifies the potential for commercial aviation to support skilled employment and encourage inward investment. Its supporters argue that the airport should be considered within Cumberland’s wider economic development plans rather than solely as an aviation facility. Any future services, however, would depend on factors including airline interest, passenger demand, operating costs and the ability to establish sustainable routes.
If approved, the motion would ask the council leader to engage with the AW Jenkinson Group, airlines, the Borderlands Partnership, local MPs and relevant government departments. The aim would be to identify practical opportunities for restoring passenger services and determine what support or collaboration might be required to move discussions forward.
The Borderlands region includes communities on both sides of the England and Scotland border, where transport connections can play an important role in supporting businesses, tourism and employment. Supporters believe Carlisle Airport could contribute to this wider regional picture if commercial services could be re-established in a financially sustainable way.
The airport’s history demonstrates both the possibility of operating scheduled services and the challenges involved in maintaining them. Although flights returned in 2019 following investment in passenger facilities, the pandemic brought those services to an end. Any attempt to restore them would need to take account of changed travel patterns and the commercial decisions of airlines.
At present, the airport continues to operate as an aerodrome but does not offer scheduled commercial passenger flights. Its facilities remain available for aviation activity, while discussions about its longer-term development continue. The proposed council motion does not itself guarantee that services will return, but it would reaffirm the authority’s political support for exploring that possibility.
The council meeting on November 3 will provide an opportunity for members to consider the airport’s strategic importance and the proposed next steps. The outcome could help determine how Cumberland Council approaches future engagement with the airport’s owners, potential airline operators and regional partners.
For now, the return of commercial flights remains an ambition rather than a confirmed plan. Councillors are being asked to renew their commitment to exploring the options, with the stated goals of improving connectivity, supporting tourism and strengthening economic opportunities across Carlisle and the wider region.
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