Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) was originally known as Speke Airport. It officially opened for civil aviation on July 1, 1933, though scheduled flights had begun as early as 1930 via Imperial Airways. The airport was built on part of the grounds of Speke Hall and was a vital hub for Irish Sea crossings in the late 1930s. During World War II, the site was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force and operated as RAF Speke, serving as a base for fighter squadrons and a manufacturing site for aircraft like the Handley Page Halifax. After the war, it returned to civil use and saw steady growth in passenger numbers. In 2001, the airport was famously renamed in honor of the legendary Beatles musician John Lennon, making it the first airport in the United Kingdom to be named after an individual. The original 1930s art deco terminal, once a symbol of the airport's early glory, has since been preserved and converted into a luxury hotel, though the modern airport operates from a newer facility nearby.