Stockholm Bromma Airport

Stockholm Bromma Airport
Stockholm-Bromma flygplats
IATA: BMAICAO: ESSB
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Swedavia
Serves Stockholm, Sweden
Location Stockholm Municipality
Elevation AMSL 14 m / 47 ft
Coordinates 59°21′16″N 017°56′23″E / 59.35444°N 17.93972°ECoordinates: 59°21′16″N 017°56′23″E / 59.35444°N 17.93972°E
Website swedavia.com/bromma/
Map
BMA

Location in Stockholm

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 1,668 5,472 Asphalt
Statistics (2013)
Passengers total 2,279,566
International passengers 253,466
Domestic passengers 2,026,100
Landings total 22,675 (2,011)
Source: Swedish AIP at EUROCONTROL[1]
Statistics: Swedavia[2] Swedavia[3]

Stockholm Bromma Airport (IATA: BMA, ICAO: ESSB) is an airport in Stockholm, Sweden. Bromma Airport is located 4 NM (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) west northwest[1] of downtown Stockholm and is the closest to the city. Bromma is Sweden's fifth largest airport (2008) and the third largest airport near Stockholm, and third largest in Sweden in terms of take-offs and landings.

History

Development

During the 1930s the need for a proper airport for Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden, became urgent. The airport was opened in 1936 by King Gustav V, and was the first airport in Europe to have paved runways from the start. During World War II Swedish and British aircraft flew to the United Kingdom from Bromma Airport. Since these flights sometimes carried Norwegian and Danish refugees the airport became of interest for German spies, and two Swedish Douglas DC-3 that had taken off from Bromma were shot down by the Germans during the war. After the war the airport flourished, two noted airlines that operated from the airport were Aktiebolaget Aerotransport (ABA) which subsequently became the Swedish partner in Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Linjeflyg (the Swedish main domestic airline which was later acquired by SAS). However the runway of Bromma was too short for the jet age and for intercontinental traffic in the 1960s (e.g. DC-8), and the capacity limit of Bromma could be foreseen, therefore the Stockholm Arlanda Airport was built.

With the opening of the Arlanda Airport in 1960–62, all international traffic moved there, the domestic traffic followed in 1983. Bromma became the domain of business jets, general aviation and flight schools in addition to government use. Several of the old hangars were separated from the airport area and turned into shopping outlets adjacent to the airport. With the start of operations by Malmö Aviation with services to Gothenburg, Malmö and London City Airport the airport has experienced something of a renaissance. In 2002 a new control tower was put into use on Ranhammarshöjden and the terminal which had become rundown after years of neglect was renovated. The airport underwent further improvements in 2005 and is now capable of separating passengers arriving from within and outside of the Schengen area.

Sweden's first FBO (fixed base operator), Grafair Jet Center, was built in 2004 at Bromma Airport. The Swedish CAA at the time, Luftfartsverket, announced a bidding process in 2003 for a contract to build a General Aviation terminal at the airport in order to improve the ground services provided for the general aviation customers flying to Stockholm and Bromma Airport. Grafair won the contract and went on to build the FBO, which was finished 11 November 2004. The Grafair Jet Center was voted the 3rd best international FBO in May 2008 in AIN - Aviation International News.[4]

Future

Expansion of the airport is limited by noise issues, a lack of space, and the necessity to preserve the cultural heritage (the airport buildings). With the completion of the third runway at Stockholm Arlanda Airport there is a capacity surplus at that airport, and there are conflicting views on whether to use the land occupied by Bromma Airport for residential and commercial purposes.

Bromma's main advantage over the much larger Arlanda Airport is its proximity to the centre of Stockholm (about 8 km or 5 miles). However, Arlanda's fast rail link, completed in 1999, means that Bromma's competitive edge in this respect is somewhat lost. Both airports are now 20 minutes from Stockholm Central railway station. Although, far from all passengers using Arlanda International go there by train, however fast. For Bromma Airport there has been discussion about a future light railway to pass by. Tvärbanan has been inaugurated in 2013, but the nearest stop is 1 km away at Karlsbodavägen.

When the airport opened in 1936 the surrounding area was mostly rural, however as the city has expanded noise has become an issue. Therefore certain measures have been put in place, such as limiting airport operations to the daytime, limiting the type of commercial aircraft which are allowed to operate from the airport and soundproofing residential homes near the airport. There has also been a suggestion of denying general aviation and flight schools use of the airport, in order to lessen the impact on the surrounding community.

In late 2014 the socialist parties won control of both Stockholm city and the government in the general election. They have plans to close the airport and build apartments instead. There is however a contract between the city and Swedavia allowing usage of the airport area until 2038.

Airlines and destinations

The airport in 1954
The apron in 1971
Stockholm Bromma Airport from the air
Airlines Destinations
Air Lituanica Vilnius
Blekingeflyg
operated by Braathens Regional
Ronneby
British Airways
operated by Sun Air of Scandinavia
Aarhus
Brussels Airlines Brussels
Estonian Air Tallinn
Finnair
operated by Flybe Nordic
Helsinki
Flysmaland
operated by Braathens Regional
Växjö
Golden Air
operated by Braathens Regional
Trollhättan
Gotlandsflyg
operated by Braathens Regional
Visby
Kalmarflyg
operated by Braathens Regional
Kalmar
Kullaflyg
operated by Braathens Regional
Halmstad, Ängelholm
Malmö Aviation Gothenburg-Landvetter, Malmö, Umeå
Malmö Aviation
operated by Braathens Regional
Åre-Östersund
Nextjet Åre-Östersund
Sundsvallsflyg
operated by Braathens Regional
Sundsvall-Härnösand

Statistics

Busiest routes from Stockholm Bromma Airport (2010)
Rank Airport Passengers
1 Malmö 550,009
2 Gothenburg 429,490
3 Umeå 233,223
4 Ängelholm 179,979
5 Visby 179,130
6 Brussels 122,555
7 Ronneby 60,507
8 Växjö 52,341
9 Östersund 45,444
10 Sundsvall 42,713

Other facilities

Bromma Airport is home of two flight clubs (Stockholms Flygklubb and SAS Flygklubb), as well as a flight school (LidAir).

Ground transportation

Bus

Taxi

Parking

There is parking at the airport, both at the terminal, short-term and long-term parking lots. Terminal parking costs 45 Swedish kronor/h and is limited to one hour, while short-term and long-term parking is slightly less expensive depending on the length of time. The parking lots are managed by the airport authority Luftfartsverket.

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

  1. 1.0 1.1 EAD Basic
  2. "Statistics". Swedavia. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  3. "Passagerarstatistik" (PDF). Swedavia.
  4. AIN FBO survey
  5. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.

External links

Media related to Stockholm-Bromma Airport at Wikimedia Commons