▁land ▁with ▁air port ▁near ▁on ▁three ▁sides ), ▁and ▁diver ting ▁the ▁Bath ▁Road . ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 6 : ▁Lord ▁Win ster , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁A viation , ▁performed ▁the ▁official ▁opening ▁ceremony . ▁The ▁first ▁aircraft ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁new ▁air port ▁was ▁a ▁British ▁South ▁American ▁Air ways ▁( BS AA ) ▁Av ro ▁Lan cast rian ▁named ▁Star ▁Light ▁capt ained ▁by ▁B S AA ' s ▁man aging ▁director ▁A VM ▁D . ▁C . ▁T . ▁Ben nett . ▁The ▁passenger ▁terminal ▁was ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁Army ▁t ents ▁and ▁du ck board ing ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Bath ▁Road . ▁Later ▁the ▁t ents ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁pre fab ric ated ▁buildings . ▁( It ▁was ▁straight ▁opposite ▁the ▁Br ick layers ▁Ar ms ▁pub , ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁Air ▁Host ess , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁was ▁demol ished .) ▁The ▁first ▁control ▁tower ▁was ▁a ▁cru de ▁brick ▁building ▁( 3 ▁store ys , ▁plus ▁ 2 ▁h uts ▁on ▁its ▁flat ▁roof ) ▁roughly ▁where ▁the ▁air port ▁police ▁station ▁is ▁now . ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 6 : ▁The ▁newly ▁named ▁London ▁Airport ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁for ▁commercial ▁operations . ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 6 : ▁The ▁first ▁aircraft ▁of ▁a ▁foreign ▁air line , ▁a ▁Pan air ▁Lock he ed ▁ 0 4