▁G ron ingen . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁air port ▁handled ▁ 2 2 0 , 7 1 0 ▁passengers . ▁The ▁air port ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁home ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁K LM ▁Fl ight ▁Academy , ▁No ord ▁Nederlandse ▁A ero ▁Club ▁( NN AC ) ▁and ▁General ▁Enter pr ises . ▁ ▁The ▁air port ▁started ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁" H ak enk amps vel d " ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁and ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁renamed ▁" L uch th aven ▁E elde " ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁German ▁military ▁occupied ▁the ▁air port . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁European ▁destin ations ▁from ▁the ▁air port . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁air port ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁G ron ingen ▁Airport ▁E elde . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 9 2 0 s – 1 9 3 0 s : ▁The ▁First ▁Years ▁G ron ingen ▁Airport ▁E elde ' s ▁( GA E ) ▁history ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁when ▁Hay o ▁H ind ri ks , ▁an ▁ex - al der man ▁of ▁the ▁municipality ▁E elde , ▁approached ▁the ▁K LM ▁( without ▁inform ing ▁the ▁community ' s ▁council ). ▁He ▁knew ▁that ▁the ▁K LM ▁would ▁be ▁interested ▁in ▁an ▁air ▁link ▁between ▁Rot ter dam