Ventspils International Airport

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Ventspils International Airport
IATA: VTS - ICAO: EVVA
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Ventspils city municipality
Serves		Ventspils
Elevation AMSL		19 ft (6 m)
Coordinates		57°21′28.08″N, 021°32′38.99″E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
03/21	4,259	1,298	Asphalt

Ventspils International Airport (IATA: VTS, ICAO: EVVA) is an airport in Latvia. It is the newest airport and along with Liepāja International Airport and Riga International Airport is one of the three notable airports in the country.

Ventspils Airport was founded in 1975. One asphalt-concrete runway (1300 m x 35 m) and apron (100 m x 100 m) was built. At that time there was air control dispatchers point at aerodrome and 40 - 45 employees worked in the airport. Aerodrome was used by aircraft AN-24, AN-2, YAK-40, MI-2. Geography of flight was small and there was only two scheduled flights Ventspils - Riga and Ventspils - St. Petersburg.

Different state departments made other kind of flights too. There was flights of state border control, flights for oil pipeline control, forests patrol, traffic control, fishing inspection flights and others. Airport operation was closed in 1983 cause of political decisions of government.

The question about the airport operation renewal first was discussed in mid nineties after the sovereignty of Latvia when Ventspils became an important transport traffic hub. The efficiency and importance on rehabilitation of the Ventspils Airport was evaluated.

The most important conclusions of the research were that the rehabilitation of the airport would enhance the efficiency of the existing transport corridors and foster economic activities in the region. The region has all the social and economic preconditions that define the potential demand for air traffic. Operative Ventspils Airport would promote competitiveness of the Ventspils transport hub in the European and global markets.

Air transport costumers of Ventspils region and corporative clients used airport of Riga at that moment that is 202 kilometres far from Ventspils. One trip by air transport for customer takes about 6 - 8 hours extra time for transport change to get by road transport to the airport in Riga and return after to Ventspils. These opportunities did not satisfy the demand for air transport traffic.

Work on project "The rehabilitation of the Airport Ventspils" was started in 1997. Implementation of this project was started in 1999. The project was developed within the National Transport Development Programme of the Republic of Latvia (1996-2010).

At the start of 2001 all documentation for the airport exploitation was prepared as well as airport security program was worked out. The plan of safety improvements for security standards was current in that moment which followed with equipping of the temporary passenger service building and electric security system establishing.

The most important result of all undertaken activities was start of operation in year 2000 after receiving of certificate. Certificate confirmed that the aerodrome is suitable for exploitation and the first programs of flights were for conclusion that the first cycle of Ventspils Airport development was completed.