Skopje "Alexander the Great" Airport

Skopje "Alexander the Great" Airport
Аеродром „Александар Велики“ Скопје
Aerodrom Skopje
Skopje Airport
IATA: SKPICAO: LWSK
SKP
Location of airport in Macedonia
Summary
Airport type Public/Military
Owner/Operator TAV Airports Holding
Serves Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Location Petrovec
Elevation AMSL 238 m / 781 ft
Website http://skp.airports.com.mk
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
16/34 2,950 8,038 Asphalt
Source: Republic of Macedonia AIP at EUROCONTROL[1]

Skopje Airport[1] (IATA: SKPICAO: LWSK) (Macedonian: Аеродром Скопје, Aerodrom Skopje), or Skopje "Alexander the Great" Airport[2] (Macedonian: Аеродром Скопје „Aлександар Вeлики“, Aerodrom Skopje, "Aleksandar Veliki") is the larger and busier of the two international airports in the Republic of Macedonia. Located 17 km (11 mi) southeast[1] of the national capital, Skopje.

Contents

Airport development

In 2008 the Macedonian Government signed a contract with the Turkish company Tepe Akfen Ventures (TAV) for a twenty year long concession during which this company would manage Macedonia's two existing airports - the Skopje Alexander the Great Airport and the St. Paul the Apostle Airport in Ohrid. In September 2011, the new terminal building, extension of the runway, new administrative building, cargo building and new access road with parking facilities were opened.[3] The goal of the project is to increase the capacity of Skopje Airport to four million passengers per year with plans to turn Skopje Airport into a major transit and cargo hub for Southeast Europe. Renovations of the Ohrid airport terminal building and VIP sections were completed in the Spring of 2011. The concession contract also includes the construction of a third airport intended for cargo transport near the eastern Macedonian town of Štip which eventually would be transformed into Macedonia’s main airport. The total amount of the foreseen investment is 200 million Euros with 30 to 40 million Euros total concession payments to the Macedonian Government over the 20-year concession period. Tepe Akfen Ventures Airport Holding is one of the world's fastest expanding airport operators currently managing the Turkish airports of Atatürk, Esenboğa, Adnan Menderes and Gazipaşa along with Tbilisi and Batumi in Georgia, Monastir and Enfidha in Tunisia. TAV is also bidding to take over the management of Ruzyně International Airport and Riga International Airport.[4] Also the construction of a luxurious hotel next to the airport is planned.[5]

Airline changes

Name controversy

In December 2006 the government of the Republic of Macedonia announced plans to rename the airport after Alexander the Great, sparking a renewed diplomatic spat with Greece, where both countries consider Alexander the Great as part of their own heritage (see Macedonia naming dispute).[11][12] The new name is argued to create confusion with the already existing Kavala International Airport named Alexander the Great ("Megas Alexandros"), which lies in the neighboring Greek region of Macedonia.[13]

Passenger numbers

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations
Adria Airways Ljubljana
Air Berlin Düsseldorf
Austrian Airlines Vienna
Belair Zürich
Belle Air Europe Ancona, Düsseldorf, Rome-Fiumicino, Venice
Blu-express Rome-Fiumicino
Croatia Airlines Zagreb
Czech Airlines Prague
Jat Airways Belgrade
Jetairfly Seasonal: Brussels [begins 8 May 2012], Ohrid [begins 8 May 2012]
Malév Hungarian Airlines Budapest
Pegasus Airlines Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen, İzmir
Swiss International Air Lines
operated by Edelweiss Air
Zurich
Turkish Airlines Istanbul-Atatürk
Wizz Air London-Luton, Venice-Treviso

Charter

Airlines Destinations
Air Europa Seasonal: Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca
Hello Zürich

Transport

Taxis go regularly to and from the airport to Skopje. The costs can vary depending on how far you travel. Taxis will drive to other cities in Macedonia.

Buses operate services to various destinations from the airport.

Incidents and accidents

References

External links

Macedonia portal
Aviation portal