The band members of Take That were the last passengers to fly into Coventry Airport (CVT) before it is scheduled to close on June 11, 2026. The airport’s closure is to make way for a multimillion-pound advanced manufacturing site and battery factory known as “Greenpower Park.”
The Final Flight
CVT is an airfield in Warwickshire, England, located just south-east of Coventry city centre. Historically, it was a World War II fighter base, then it transitioned into a hub for private aviation, charter flights, and flight training. The airport’s operators notified the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of plans to close permanently and cease all runway operations.
Take That members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald were the last ever passengers to fly into Coventry Airport on its final booked commercial flight.
The pop group arrived on a private commercial flight ahead of their final performance at the nearby CBS Arena, which concluded their three-night run in the city as part of their Circus Live tour.
Upon discovering they were the final passengers, the band insisted on taking a group photograph with the airport’s ground crew.
In a light-hearted post on the Coventry Airport Facebook Page, staff joked that they normally turn down photo requests because they “don’t like people using our image to further their careers,” but gladly made an exception for the historic occasion.
The post, then stated:
“Thank you to ‘Take That’ for taking some time from their busy schedule to talk to the crew, allow a photo and for wishing us all the best for the future.”
The airport will officially close on June 202611, , ending 90 years of aviation history at the Baginton site.
A Look Back on Coventry Airport
The airport’s most famous moment came on 30 May 1982, when Pope John Paul II arrived via helicopter during his historic, first-ever papal tour of the UK. He celebrated an open-air Mass on the airfield for a crowd of roughly 350,000 people, marking the single largest public event in the airport’s history.
The airport became renowned among aviation enthusiasts as a hub for classic aircraft restoration and hosting annual Air Day events. Visitors flocked to see vintage military planes like Spitfires, Lancasters, and Harriers. It is also the long-term home of the Midland Air Museum and the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre, celebrating the Coventry-born father of the jet engine.
Between 1994 and 1995, Coventry Airport became the national flashpoint for animal rights protests and activists gathered daily to protest the freight export of live calves to continental Europe.
According to the BBC, because of the airport’s location and privacy, the airport regularly hosted British royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II, as well as icons of the 1960s British music scene like The Rolling Stones and The Small Faces.
While many will mourn the closure of a historic asset, local councils and developers argue the space is desperately needed for the Greenpower Park gigafactory. Proponents believe transitioning the site into an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant will bring thousands of modern engineering jobs and a massive economic boost to the West Midlands.
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