WHEN Glasgow Airport opened for business in May 1966, it was the culmination of a huge amount of work by the nearly 300 staff members.
Ronald Read, the airport director, was in his mid-forties. He had joined the RAF in 1940 and had been a bomber pilot during the war, serving in Lancasters, W ellingtons and Halifaxes. Avation had been his life’s work. His deputy, Eric Garner, had also been a bomber pilot in the war. His elder daughter was now working as an airline stewardess.
The airport’s four duty officers “all had good Scottish names”, this newspaper noted: John McKellar, Angus MacMillan, Thomas N MacFarlane, and John Scott. Mr MacMillan had been a fighter pilot with the RAF immediately after the war. Mr MacFarlane had been involved in Operation India, when, during Partition in 1947, aircraft had been used to deal with the immense refugee problem.
The airport also had a team of information assistants (main image). Lesley, Jacqueline, Alison, Eileen, Hedda, Ann, Kimmy, Pam, Joy, Sandra, Fiona and Charma were all fluent in at least one foreign language.
Their job was to work the Solari boards – the electrical, visual information system – as well as answering passengers’ and visitors’ questions, taking conducted tours of the airport, and giving information about hotels.
Another group that caught the eye of photographers were the employees (above) of one of the rent-a-car companies at the new airport.
Fred Mulley, the Government’s aviation minister, wished the airport every success. “With the prospect of rapid increases in traffic and continuing technological change,” he wrote, “I am sure there is an exciting and worthwhile future ahead for the airport.”
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