A fake airport sign in Wales has cost its creator over £25,000 to maintain over the past two decades, becoming a cultural landmark that sparked public protests when it was removed.
The "Llandegley International Airport" sign, created in 2002 by Nicholas Whitehead along the A44 road in mid-Wales, directs travelers to a non-existent airport. The sign says that "Terminals 1 & 3" are supposedly located 2½ miles away.
As reported by the BBC, when the original sign was taken down in 2009, public outcry led to its reinstatement the following year. The spoof airport has gained such cultural significance that it's now listed in the Welsh Government's National Monuments Record database. This pretend airport maintains active social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook, despite having no actual runways or terminals.
In November 2022, Whitehead decided to end his costly commitment to the joke. "Man ends 20-year Llandegley airport sign joke that cost (him) £25k," the BBC reported. However, the story doesn't end there. Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, a new sign was installed in May 2023 at a new location where the landowner allows it to remain without charge. I love it when something that is pure fun and silliness brings people together and becomes a cultural landmark.
See also: See also: What's the story behind airport chapels?
