Lydd Airport  (or London Ashford Airport as it is now offically known) was constructed in 1954 as the cross channel departure point for car ferry services. It enjoyed strong levels of traffic through the fifties and sixties (it was busier than Gatwick for a number of years) but competition from roll-on roll-off sea ferries saw its decline in the early seventies

Lydd Airport today is operated by London Ashford Airport Ltd., a commercially orientated company with wide ranging aviation experience. Significant investment has already gone into the airport with big expansion planned including a runway extension, a new terminal building, improve transport conenctivity and a luxury hotel and conferencing facility on Lydd Golf Club (also owned by the airport) and agacent to the aerodrome.