Experience

Air show for 100 years of Antwerp International Airport on 20 & 21 May 2023

Posted by Timothy on

Antwerp International Airport (ANR) in the Antwerp district of Deurne turns 100 on 25 May 2023. Te Stampe & Vertongen Museum organises an air show for the anniversary, on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May.

On both days aeroplanes will be on display on the ground and in the air. There will be food stands, vendors and there will be the possibility for baptismal first flights on a Stampe et Vertongen SV.4. 

History of Antwerp Airport

Until 1920, the Wilrijkse Plein (Wilrijk Field) was the place where flying events took place in Antwerp. When it was built on, former war pilot Jan Olieslagers and the brothers Arthur and Emile Van Migem, both members of the Aéro-Club d’Anvers, campaigned for a new airport. 

The location became Deurne South: a location between the centers of Borsbeek, Mortsel and Berchem, but on the territory of the municipalities of Deurne (more than half of the area), Borsbeek and Mortsel. 

On 25 May 1923, the airport was officially opened. In October of that year, aircraft manufacturer and flight school Stampe et Vertongen settled at the airfield in Deurne. 

In 1928 Sabena starts an air line between Deurne and Evere (now part of Brussels), a year later the line Antwerp – Hamburg starts. 

In 1927 a new flying club was founded that will continue to be the driving force behind the maintenance of Antwerp airport for a long time, the then AAC, now the RAAC (Royal Antwerp Aviation Club).

World War II

During World War II, the airport was heavily damaged and was not operational for several years. However, in the post-war era, the airport was rebuilt and expanded, and by the 1960s it had become an important gateway to Europe.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the airport continued to grow, with new airlines and destinations being added regularly. However, in the 1990s, the airport faced some challenges, including a decline in passenger traffic and the closure of several airlines.

In recent years, the airport has undergone significant renovations and modernizations, including the construction of a new terminal building and the addition of new airlines and routes. Today, Antwerp International Airport serves a wide range of destinations throughout Europe, and is an important hub for both passenger and cargo traffic in the region.

Antwerp International Airport apron.

Under pressure

There have been some concerns about the future of ANR in recent years. One of the main challenges facing the airport is competition from other airports in the region, such as Brussels Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

In addition, there have been discussions about the impact of aviation on the environment, and some have called for measures to reduce the carbon footprint of air travel. This has led to some concerns about the long-term viability of smaller regional airports like Antwerp Airport.

Neighbours file protests regularly and some politicians want to turn the area – unimaginatively – into a park. 

However, despite these challenges, there are currently no plans to close Antwerp Airport. In fact, the airport has recently undergone significant renovations and upgrades, including the construction of a new terminal building and improvements to the runway and taxiway system.

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