Sarajevo International Airport

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Sarajevo International Airport
Međunarodni Aerodrom Sarajevo

IATA: SJJ – ICAO: LQSA
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA)
Serves Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Location Butmir, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Elevation AMSL 1,708 ft / 521 m
Coordinates 43°49′29″N 018°19′53″E / 43.82472, 18.33139
Website Official website (Bosnian)(English)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 8,666 2,641 Asphalt
Statistics
Passengers 2007 505,269
Passengers 2006 466,186
Passengers 2005 440,599
Passengers 2004 397,000

Sarajevo International Airport (IATA: SJJ, ICAO: LQSA) is the main international airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located just a few kilometers southwest of the capital city of Sarajevo.

Since the Dayton Accord in 1996, the airport has welcomed a thriving commercial flight business which includes B&H Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Jat Airways, Croatia Airlines, Turkish Airlines and others. In 2006, 466,186 passengers traveled through Sarajevo airport, compared to only 25,000 in 1996.[1]

In 2005 the European branch of the Airports Council International awarded Sarajevo the award of best airport under 1 million passengers.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The need for an airport in Sarajevo was acknowledged in the mid 1960s and after suggestions that the airport be built Sokolac (35 km away from Sarajevo) were rejected construction of the airport began in 1966 at its present location.

The Sarajevo-Ilidža Airport opened on June 2, 1969. In 1970 Frankfurt became the first international destination served. During this period the airport was still a 'feeder' airport where passengers embarked for flights to Zagreb and Belgrade on their way to international destinations. During this period between 70,000-100,000 passengers passed through each year. The first expansion came for the 1984 Winter Olympic Games, when the runway was extended by 200 meters and several adjustments were made.

In the first weeks of the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina the airport was taken over by Serbian forces who seriously damaged and looted the airport.[3] From June 1992 until the end of the war the airport was under UN control which used it to fly in humantiarian aid when the besieging Serbs permitted it.[3] The airport was the site of many tragedies during the war since the only way to leave the city was to cross the airport runway and reach government territory on the other side. Around 800 people were killed in the attempt by Serb gunners on three sides of the airport, until a tunnel was dug under the runway.[3]

The airport re-opened to civilian air traffic on August 16, 1996 and has since been renovated and slowly returned to its former glory. On 18 October 2005, Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended a decision by Bosnian authorities to name the airport after Alija Izetbegovic, the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Citing his reasons, the High Representative stated that such a renaming might undermine the reconciliation process by alienating non-Bosniak citizens.[4]

[edit] News

  • Jat Airways is adding 1 more weekly flight on Fridays on Sarajevo-Belgrade route beginning June 30th.As of June Jat Airways will have total of 8 weekly flights Belgrade-Sarajevo,all flights are in code share with B&H Airlines.
  • Norwegian Air Shuttle is starting scheduled commercial flights from Oslo-Moss [Rygge] Airport to Sarajevo Airport from June 21 2008. The flights will be one weekly on Saturdays with Boeing 737-800 departing Oslo 06:45 arriving Sarajevo 09:40,departing Sarajevo 10:15 arriving Oslo 13:10.
  • Flynordic is starting scheduled commercial flights from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Sarajevo Airport from June 21.Flights will operate twice weekly on Wedensdays and Saturdays with Boeing 737-800 aircraft owned by Norwegian.

[edit] Airlines and destinations

Charter Flights

Former airlines and destinations

[edit] Passenger statistics

Year/Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Year total
2008 23.909 27.121 34.896 - - - - - - - - - 85.936
2007 32.235 28.028 35.168 42.297 43.633 53.281 59.436 57.381 45.113 43.980 31.952 32.735 505.269
2006 26.743 24.292 30.484 37.380 44.290 49.987 56.504 54.811 45.394 38.690 28.166 29.287 466.186

[edit] References

  1. ^ Statistic data for Sarajevo Airport
  2. ^ Excellence in airport operations: 1st ACI Europe Best Airport Awards, 29 June 2005.
  3. ^ a b c Kratak historijat 1992-1996 – Agresija na BiH
  4. ^ High Representative Suspends Decision Renaming Sarajevo International Airport

[edit] External links

Airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Banja Luka International Airport | Mostar International Airport | Sarajevo International Airport | Tuzla International Airport