EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
Encyclopedia
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is an international airport 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Basel
(Switzerland
), 22 km (13.7 mi) southeast of Mulhouse
(France
), and 70 km (43.5 mi) south of Freiburg
(Germany
). It is located in France, on the administrative territory of the commune of Saint-Louis
near the Swiss and German borders. It handled 4,270,000 passengers in 2007.
and Switzerland
. It is governed by the international convention of 1949. The headquarters of operations are located in Blotzheim
, France. The airport is located completely on French soil, and the airport has a Swiss customs area connected to Basel
by a border road. The airport is operated on an agreement established in 1946 where the three countries (Switzerland, Germany and France) are granted access to the airport without any customs
or other border restrictions. The airport's board has 8 members from each France and Switzerland, and two advisers from Germany
The airport building is split into two separate sections - Swiss and French. With Switzerland joining the Schengen Treaty in March 2009, the air side was rearranged to include a Schengen and non Schengen zone.
Due to its unusual international status, EuroAirport has three IATA airport codes: BSL (Basel) is the Swiss code, MLH (Mulhouse) is the French code and EAP (EuroAirport) is the international code. The ICAO airport code
is LFSB. The Geneva International Airport has a similar international status.
In 1946, talks were re-opened and it was agreed that an airport would be built at Blotzheim, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the city. France would provide the land, and the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt would provide the construction costs. Basel-Stadt's Grand Council
agreed to pay the costs for a provisional airport even before the international treaty was signed (which was not until 1949). Construction began on 8 March 1946 and a provisional airport with a 1200 metres (3,937 ft) runway was officially opened on 8 May in the same year.
Between autumn 1951 and spring 1953, the east-west runway was extended to 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft) and the "Zollfreistrasse" (sealed road) was constructed allowing access from Basel to the departure terminal without passing through French border controls.
The first enlargement project was approved by referendum in Basel in 1960 and over the following decades the terminals and runways were continually extended. The north-south runway was extended further to 3900 metres (12,795.3 ft) in 1972. In 1984, an annual total of 1 million passengers was reached.
In 1987, the official name was changed to "Euro-Airport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg".
In 1992, the total of 2 million passengers was reached, and in 1998 3 million. The decision was made to enlarge the terminals again with a new Y-finger dock, the first phase was completed in 2002, the second phase in 2005.
The airline Crossair
was based at Basel and was the largest airline. Following the Swissair
bankruptcy in 2001, and the transformation of Crossair into Swiss International Air Lines
, the number of flights from Basel fell and the new terminal was initially underused. In 2004 the low cost carrier EasyJet
opened a base at Basel and the passenger totals rose again, reaching 4 million in 2006.
is headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in the Swiss section of the airport; even though the airport is within France, the Swiss head office is only accessible from Switzerland. The Swiss division Swiss Aviation Software has its head office there
The airline Farnair Switzerland
also has its head office at EuroAirport. As in the case of the Swiss head office, the Farnair head office may only be accessed from Switzerland. Hello
, a Swiss airline, has its head office in the General Aviation area of EuroAirport.
Prior to the formation of Swiss International Air Lines, the regional airline Crossair
was headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport. Prior to its dissolution, Crossair Europe
was headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport.
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
(Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), 22 km (13.7 mi) southeast of Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), and 70 km (43.5 mi) south of Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
). It is located in France, on the administrative territory of the commune of Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin
Saint-Louis is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are called Ludoviciens.-Geography:...
near the Swiss and German borders. It handled 4,270,000 passengers in 2007.
International status
Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is one of the few airports in the world operated jointly by two countries, FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is governed by the international convention of 1949. The headquarters of operations are located in Blotzheim
Blotzheim
Blotzheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, France. The airport is located completely on French soil, and the airport has a Swiss customs area connected to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
by a border road. The airport is operated on an agreement established in 1946 where the three countries (Switzerland, Germany and France) are granted access to the airport without any customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
or other border restrictions. The airport's board has 8 members from each France and Switzerland, and two advisers from Germany
ICAO airport code
The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-character alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators.The ICAO codes are used by air traffic...
is LFSB. The Geneva International Airport has a similar international status.
History
Plans for the construction of a joint Swiss-French airport started in the 1930s, but were stopped by the Second World War.In 1946, talks were re-opened and it was agreed that an airport would be built at Blotzheim, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the city. France would provide the land, and the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt would provide the construction costs. Basel-Stadt's Grand Council
Grand Council of Basel-Stadt
The Grand Council of Basel-Stadt is the legislature of the canton of Basel-Stadt, in Switzerland. Basel-Stadt has a unicameral legislature. The Grand Council has 100 seats, with members elected every four years...
agreed to pay the costs for a provisional airport even before the international treaty was signed (which was not until 1949). Construction began on 8 March 1946 and a provisional airport with a 1200 metres (3,937 ft) runway was officially opened on 8 May in the same year.
Between autumn 1951 and spring 1953, the east-west runway was extended to 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft) and the "Zollfreistrasse" (sealed road) was constructed allowing access from Basel to the departure terminal without passing through French border controls.
The first enlargement project was approved by referendum in Basel in 1960 and over the following decades the terminals and runways were continually extended. The north-south runway was extended further to 3900 metres (12,795.3 ft) in 1972. In 1984, an annual total of 1 million passengers was reached.
In 1987, the official name was changed to "Euro-Airport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg".
In 1992, the total of 2 million passengers was reached, and in 1998 3 million. The decision was made to enlarge the terminals again with a new Y-finger dock, the first phase was completed in 2002, the second phase in 2005.
The airline Crossair
Crossair
Crossair Ltd. Co. for Regional European Air Transport was a regional airline headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin, France, near Basel, Switzerland...
was based at Basel and was the largest airline. Following the Swissair
Swissair
Swissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
bankruptcy in 2001, and the transformation of Crossair into Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines AG is the principal airline of Switzerland operating scheduled services in Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Its main hub is Zurich Airport...
, the number of flights from Basel fell and the new terminal was initially underused. In 2004 the low cost carrier EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
opened a base at Basel and the passenger totals rose again, reaching 4 million in 2006.
Airlines and destinations
Cargo airlines
Ground transport
- Connects to the A3 Motorway
- Basel's BVB bus No. 50 connects the Swiss sector of the airport to the Bahnhof SBBBasel SBB railway stationBasel SBB is the central railway station in the city of Basel in Switzerland. Trains run by the Swiss Federal Railways to destinations within Switzerland use this station, as well as Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express trains to Germany as well as Zürich and Interlaken...
, which is the main Swiss and French railway station in Basel. - French Distribus bus No. 11 connects the French sector of the airport to the Saint-Louis railway station.
Other facilities
Swiss International Air LinesSwiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines AG is the principal airline of Switzerland operating scheduled services in Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Its main hub is Zurich Airport...
is headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in the Swiss section of the airport; even though the airport is within France, the Swiss head office is only accessible from Switzerland. The Swiss division Swiss Aviation Software has its head office there
The airline Farnair Switzerland
Farnair Switzerland
Farnair Switzerland is a Swiss airline. It operates regular express parcel services from Switzerland, Germany and Italy to the main hubs in Europe. It also specialises in operations for humanitarian organisations, the oil industry and other special operations. Its main base is EuroAirport...
also has its head office at EuroAirport. As in the case of the Swiss head office, the Farnair head office may only be accessed from Switzerland. Hello
Hello (airline)
Hello AG, operating as Hello, is a Swiss charter airline, offering holiday flights to destinations around the Mediterranean Sea out of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, Geneva International Airport or Zürich Airport. The airline's head office is located at the General Aviation site in...
, a Swiss airline, has its head office in the General Aviation area of EuroAirport.
Prior to the formation of Swiss International Air Lines, the regional airline Crossair
Crossair
Crossair Ltd. Co. for Regional European Air Transport was a regional airline headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin, France, near Basel, Switzerland...
was headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport. Prior to its dissolution, Crossair Europe
Crossair Europe
thumb|right|250px|Saab 340 of Crossair Europe at Düsseldorf International AirportCrossair Europe was an airline headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in Saint-Louis, Haut Rhin, France, near Basel, Switzerland. It operated scheduled services to destinations in Italy...
was headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport.
External links
- EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (official site)
- Fly-EuroAirport.com (official B2C site of EuroAirport)
- Aéroport de Bâle-Mulhouse (Union des Aéroports Français)