Almaty International Airport
Encyclopedia
Almaty International Airport is the largest international airport
in Kazakhstan
. It is located about 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) from the centre of Almaty
, the country's largest city and commercial capital. Almaty airport accounts for half of passenger traffic and 68% of cargo traffic to Kazakhstan. In 2008, the airport handled 2.5 million passengers (23% growth to 2005).
The airport was built in 1935. Up to 1990 it was the part of Kazakh Department of Civil Aviation, and then reorganized into "Alma-Ata Airport" in 1991. Since 1993 it has run as an independent business unit. In 1994 it was reorganized into OJSC "Almaty Airport" and later renamed to JSC Almaty International Airport.
The supersonic transport (SST) Tupolev Tu-144 went into service on 26 December 1975, flying mail and freight between Moscow and Alma-Ata in preparation for passenger services, which commenced in November 1977. The Aeroflot flight on 1 June 1978 was the Tu-144's 55th and last scheduled passenger service.
Following a runway reconstruction in 1998, Almaty airport was awarded II category and status of an International Airport.
On 9 July 1999 a fire started in the shashlik kitchen of the airport restaurant. The whole terminal building burned down in just a few hours, fortunately without major injuries. Construction of a new terminal was completed in 2004.
Almaty Airport is a hub for the national carrier Air Astana
. It is also a major Central Asian cargo hub.
On September 30, 2008 a second runway was opened with a first departure of a BMI flight bound for London Heathrow. The new runway has also been given an ICAO certificate for CAT III landings which will significantly reduce the number of planes diverting to nearby airfields due to low visibility, especially during the winter months. This runway is the longest in central Asia. The new runway can accept all types of aircraft without limitation of take-off weight and operations frequency.
The new terminal will be located along Kuldja road that will help to reduce traffic on the way to the airport.
: Although BMI
's flight to London-Heathrow has a stop in Amritsar. It has no rights to transport passengers solely between Almaty and Amritsar.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. It is located about 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) from the centre of Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
, the country's largest city and commercial capital. Almaty airport accounts for half of passenger traffic and 68% of cargo traffic to Kazakhstan. In 2008, the airport handled 2.5 million passengers (23% growth to 2005).
History
The supersonic transport (SST) Tupolev Tu-144 went into service on 26 December 1975, flying mail and freight between Moscow and Alma-Ata in preparation for passenger services, which commenced in November 1977. The Aeroflot flight on 1 June 1978 was the Tu-144's 55th and last scheduled passenger service.
Following a runway reconstruction in 1998, Almaty airport was awarded II category and status of an International Airport.
On 9 July 1999 a fire started in the shashlik kitchen of the airport restaurant. The whole terminal building burned down in just a few hours, fortunately without major injuries. Construction of a new terminal was completed in 2004.
Almaty Airport is a hub for the national carrier Air Astana
Air Astana
Air Astana is the flag carrier and the national airline of Kazakhstan with its head office in Almaty. It is the national carrier of Kazakhstan and operates scheduled domestic and international services. Its main bases are Astana International Airport and Almaty International Airport...
. It is also a major Central Asian cargo hub.
On September 30, 2008 a second runway was opened with a first departure of a BMI flight bound for London Heathrow. The new runway has also been given an ICAO certificate for CAT III landings which will significantly reduce the number of planes diverting to nearby airfields due to low visibility, especially during the winter months. This runway is the longest in central Asia. The new runway can accept all types of aircraft without limitation of take-off weight and operations frequency.
Future
It is planned to build a new passenger terminal for international flights with six loading bridges and capacity up to 2500 passengers per hour in the nearest future. Developed infrastructure complex consisting of: a Marriott Hotel, conference halls, business center, shopping center, cinemas will be located within the territory of this terminal.The new terminal will be located along Kuldja road that will help to reduce traffic on the way to the airport.
Airlines and destinations
Note:: Although BMI
Bmi (airline)
British Midland Airways Limited , is an airline based at Donington Hall in Castle Donington in the United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport, and a fully owned subsidiary of Lufthansa...
's flight to London-Heathrow has a stop in Amritsar. It has no rights to transport passengers solely between Almaty and Amritsar.
Cargo
Accidents and incidents
- August 30, 1980, AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
Flight CCCP-65129, Tupolev Tu-134Tupolev Tu-134The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
crashed on approach to Almaty after a flight from ChelyabinskChelyabinskChelyabinsk is a city and the administrative center of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, located in the northwestern side of the oblast, south of Yekaterinburg, just to the east of the Ural Mountains, on the Miass River. Population: -History:...
where all 90 passengers and crew died.