Originally posted by Moondance
Ramp and apron are the same – perhaps ramp is a US expression, and apron a British one? (dunno really, just guessing)

That could be as Ramp seems to be only used in the US. I don’t know how Ramp would have come to pass. Perhaps it would be a term coined during the early days of aviation that found most aircraft handling mail and cargo with ramps being used to load and unload the goods. Ramps would be located next to the terminals, right. Apron most likely derived from it’s location to the airport terminal. Just as you would wear an apron, an airport apron wraps around the terminal buildings.

Both are just guesses.