Luleå Airport
Encyclopedia
Luleå Airport is located about 5 km south-southeast of Luleå
, Sweden
, near the village of Kallax
. The airport had a 995,581 passenger total in 2008, and is thus Sweden's sixth largest airport. It is the largest airport in northern Sweden (Norrland
).
A connection to Murmansk
, Russia
was operated since the early 1990s by the Russian airline Arkhangelsk Airlines. With flights originating from Archangelsk, it was the only air connection between that city and Sweden. The airline's Russian-made aircraft were, however, banned in 2006 due to tighter noise and pollution restrictions imposed by the European Union
. Nordkalottflyg
(Barents AirLink) took over the route in May 2006 but discontinued it in 2007.
Around the year 2000 the runway
at Luleå Airport was extended and is now the longest in Sweden. The purpose of the extension was to attract heavy long-distance cargo flights, and in particular to serve as a fuel stop for flights from such cities as Tokyo
and San Francisco. The distance e.g. Tokyo-Paris
is shorter if routed through Luleå, compared to flying over China
. Russian bureaucracy and fees for trans-Siberia
n flights obstructed these plans however, although a lower fee closer to standard levels was accepted by Russian authorities in 2006, which has seen cargo traffic slowly increasing. One problem is also that Russia now gives discounts only for cargo airlines using a Russian airport like Yemelyanovo Airport
for refueling, which Lufthansa Cargo
now does. In April 2009 Korean Air Cargo launched a cargo route from Luleå to Seoul-Incheon Airport
, exporting among other things Norwegian
salmon
to Asia
.
In 2007 the air route Luleå-Arlanda became Swedens most used domestic air route by airport pairs (821,000 passengers), because the connections Stockholm-Gothenburg and Stockholm-Malmö use both Bromma and Arlanda airports, while Stockholm-Luleå only uses Arlanda.
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, near the village of Kallax
Kallax
Kallax is a locality situated in Luleå Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 291 inhabitants in 2005. Luleå Airport is situated near Kallax....
. The airport had a 995,581 passenger total in 2008, and is thus Sweden's sixth largest airport. It is the largest airport in northern Sweden (Norrland
Norrland
Norrland is one of the three lands of Sweden , the northern part, consisting of nine provinces. The term Norrland is not used for any administrative purpose, but it is common in everyday language, e.g...
).
History
The airport began as a military airfield in 1941 and later opened up to civilian traffic on September 11, 1944.A connection to Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
was operated since the early 1990s by the Russian airline Arkhangelsk Airlines. With flights originating from Archangelsk, it was the only air connection between that city and Sweden. The airline's Russian-made aircraft were, however, banned in 2006 due to tighter noise and pollution restrictions imposed by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Nordkalottflyg
Nordkalottflyg
Barents AirLink is an airline based in Sweden. It was established as Nordkalottflyg in 1974 and operates scheduled domestic and international services. The name was changed to Barents AirLink in 2006...
(Barents AirLink) took over the route in May 2006 but discontinued it in 2007.
Around the year 2000 the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
at Luleå Airport was extended and is now the longest in Sweden. The purpose of the extension was to attract heavy long-distance cargo flights, and in particular to serve as a fuel stop for flights from such cities as Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and San Francisco. The distance e.g. Tokyo-Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
is shorter if routed through Luleå, compared to flying over China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Russian bureaucracy and fees for trans-Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n flights obstructed these plans however, although a lower fee closer to standard levels was accepted by Russian authorities in 2006, which has seen cargo traffic slowly increasing. One problem is also that Russia now gives discounts only for cargo airlines using a Russian airport like Yemelyanovo Airport
Yemelyanovo Airport
Yemelyanovo International Airport is a major airport in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia located 37 km northwest of Krasnoyarsk. It opened for operations in 1980. Presently, Yemelyanovo makes regular cargo and passenger flights of over 40 Russian and overseas carriers...
for refueling, which Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo AG is a cargo airline from Germany, operating worldwide air freight and logistics services on behalf of Lufthansa, of which it is a wholly owned subsidiary. The company is headquartered in Building 451 of the Frankfurt Airport area in Frankfurt, the major hub of Lufthansa...
now does. In April 2009 Korean Air Cargo launched a cargo route from Luleå to Seoul-Incheon Airport
Incheon International Airport
Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest airports in the world...
, exporting among other things Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
In 2007 the air route Luleå-Arlanda became Swedens most used domestic air route by airport pairs (821,000 passengers), because the connections Stockholm-Gothenburg and Stockholm-Malmö use both Bromma and Arlanda airports, while Stockholm-Luleå only uses Arlanda.