Nantes Atlantique Airport
Encyclopedia
Nantes Atlantique Airport is an international airport
serving Nantes
, France
. It is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) southwest of the city, in Bouguenais
.
The airport is operated by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Nantes. It is currently the largest airport in the west of France, with a maximum capacity of three million passengers a year.
, followed by M.S.406 fighters
and LeO 45 bombers. In 1939 the first paved runway was constructed, with a length of 900 m (2,953 ft).
During World War II
the airfield was briefly used as a British Royal Air Force
base before being captured by German
forces. Under occupation the aircraft factory was closed, and the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe
as a base to bomb targets in England
. As a consequence the airfield was hit by a damaging air raid on July 4 1943, which also destroyed the adjoining aircraft factory.
After the war the airfield was again put into service by the French Air Force
. The aircraft factory was rebuilt, and has since built sections of the Vautour fighter
and the Caravelle airliner
, before becoming part of Airbus
. In 1951 the first commercial operations started, with a new terminal built between 1954 and 1960 and runway extensions to cater for larger aircraft.
, which is divided into four numbered halls. Halls 1 to 3 form the long side of the 'L' and are zones within the same two story building, with baggage claim
and check-in
facilities on the ground floor, and departure lounges on the upper level. Hall 4 occupies a later single story building at right angles to the earlier building, but connected to it by a lobby.
The airport also has a separate freight terminal, situated to the south of the passenger terminal, which includes 6000 m² (7,175.9 sq yd) of entrepôt
storage. Also situated close to the passenger terminal is the Nantes factory of Airbus
, which specialises in the construction of the centre wing box of the Airbus fleet of airliners and in the use of composite material
s for creating structural components.
companies are situated at the airport, housed in a separate building directly opposite the airport terminal and next to the car rental parking lot.
An express shuttle bus, the 'Navette Tan Air', links the a stop outside the airport terminal to Nantes railway station
and the city centre. Journeys are scheduled to correspond to flights, and take 30 minutes. The service forms part of Nantes's Tan public transport network
, but charges a higher Tan Air fare than the standard network fare. As an alternative Tan local bus 37 provides a frequent connection from an adjacent bus stop to line 3 of the Tan tram system
in Neustrie, and both bus and tram accept standard Tan ticketing with a single ticket being valid for the through journey.
Taxi
s are available from a taxi rank outside the terminal building. A separate waiting area outside the car rental facility is used by pre-arranged taxis.
, situated 30 km (18.6 mi) to the north-west of Nantes in the 'commune' of Notre-Dame-des-Landes
. The €580 million project was approved in February 2008, with construction expected to start in 2012 and an opening date in 2015.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
serving Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, 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...
. It is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) southwest of the city, in Bouguenais
Bouguenais
Bouguenais is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France near Nantes.Bouguenais is home to the Nantes Atlantique Airport.-Economy:...
.
The airport is operated by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Nantes. It is currently the largest airport in the west of France, with a maximum capacity of three million passengers a year.
History
Nantes airport owes its origins to a military airfield, conceived in 1928 on part of the current site. In 1936/7 the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques de l'Ouest opened an aircraft factory adjacent to the airfield, initially building MB.210 bombersBloch MB.210
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft, Volume Seven. London: Macdonald, 1967.-External links:***...
, followed by M.S.406 fighters
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II....
and LeO 45 bombers. In 1939 the first paved runway was constructed, with a length of 900 m (2,953 ft).
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the airfield was briefly used as a British Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base before being captured by German
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...
forces. Under occupation the aircraft factory was closed, and the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
as a base to bomb targets in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a consequence the airfield was hit by a damaging air raid on July 4 1943, which also destroyed the adjoining aircraft factory.
After the war the airfield was again put into service by the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
. The aircraft factory was rebuilt, and has since built sections of the Vautour fighter
Sud Aviation Vautour
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...
and the Caravelle airliner
Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
, before becoming part of Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
. In 1951 the first commercial operations started, with a new terminal built between 1954 and 1960 and runway extensions to cater for larger aircraft.
Terminal facilities
Nantes airport has a single 'L' shaped passenger terminalAirport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
, which is divided into four numbered halls. Halls 1 to 3 form the long side of the 'L' and are zones within the same two story building, with baggage claim
Baggage claim
In airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an area where arriving passengers claim checked-in baggage after disembarking from an airline flight. The alternative term baggage reclaim is used to mean the same thing at many airports outside the USA In airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an...
and check-in
Airport check-in
Airport check-in uses service counters found at commercial airports handling commercial air travel. The check-in is normally handled by an airline itself or a handling agent working on behalf of an airline...
facilities on the ground floor, and departure lounges on the upper level. Hall 4 occupies a later single story building at right angles to the earlier building, but connected to it by a lobby.
The airport also has a separate freight terminal, situated to the south of the passenger terminal, which includes 6000 m² (7,175.9 sq yd) of entrepôt
Entrepôt
An entrepôt is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. This profit is possible because of trade conditions, for example, the reluctance of ships to travel the entire length of a long trading route, and selling to the entrepôt...
storage. Also situated close to the passenger terminal is the Nantes factory of Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
, which specialises in the construction of the centre wing box of the Airbus fleet of airliners and in the use of composite material
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
s for creating structural components.
Other facilities
Regional, a regional airline, is headquartered on the grounds of Nantes Atlantique Airport.Airlines and destinations
Ground transportation
Nantes Atlantique Airport is located just outside the Nantes 'périphérique', the city's peripheral ring motorway, to which it is linked by a short access road. All the major roads and motorways to and from the city of Nantes intersect the 'périphérique'. Several car parks, both in the open and under cover, are located in the terminal area, with each car park having its own tariff. Car rentalCar rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
companies are situated at the airport, housed in a separate building directly opposite the airport terminal and next to the car rental parking lot.
An express shuttle bus, the 'Navette Tan Air', links the a stop outside the airport terminal to Nantes railway station
Gare de Nantes
The Gare de Nantes is the principal passenger railway station serving the French city of Nantes. It is a through station aligned east-west, with entrances and station facilities on both north and south sides...
and the city centre. Journeys are scheduled to correspond to flights, and take 30 minutes. The service forms part of Nantes's Tan public transport network
Semitan
Semitan is the company responsible for the comprehensive public transport network of the Nantes Métropole, the urban community of the French city of Nantes. The network operated by Semitan is marketed under the name and logo of tan, and this abbreviated form is also sometimes used to refer to the...
, but charges a higher Tan Air fare than the standard network fare. As an alternative Tan local bus 37 provides a frequent connection from an adjacent bus stop to line 3 of the Tan tram system
Tramway de Nantes
The Nantes tramway is a tramway system located around the city of Nantes, France. The first tramway in Nantes opened in 1879 and closed in 1958 due to bombing damage during World War II, while the present tramway was re-introduced to the city in 1985....
in Neustrie, and both bus and tram accept standard Tan ticketing with a single ticket being valid for the through journey.
Taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s are available from a taxi rank outside the terminal building. A separate waiting area outside the car rental facility is used by pre-arranged taxis.
Future developments
Nantes Atlantique is currently the largest airport in the west of France; however it can only handle three million passengers a year and cannot be expanded because it is too close to the city. It is therefore currently planned that it will be replaced by a new Aéroport du Grand OuestAéroport du Grand Ouest
The Aéroport du Grand Ouest is a planned new airport, to be situated to the north-west of the French city of Nantes in the commune of Notre-Dame-des-Landes...
, situated 30 km (18.6 mi) to the north-west of Nantes in the 'commune' of Notre-Dame-des-Landes
Notre-Dame-des-Landes
Notre-Dame-des-Landes is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The commune is the planned site of the new Aéroport du Grand Ouest, intended to replace Nantes Atlantique Airport. The €580 million project was approved in February 2008, with construction expected to start in...
. The €580 million project was approved in February 2008, with construction expected to start in 2012 and an opening date in 2015.