Simferopol International Airport

Simferopol International Airport
Международный аэропорт "Симферополь"
Міжнародний аеропорт "Сімферополь"
Aqmescit Halqara Ava Limanı
Summary
Airport type Public
Serves Simferopol, Crimea
Elevation AMSL 639 ft / 195 m
Coordinates 45°03′07″N 33°58′25″E / 45.05194°N 33.97361°E / 45.05194; 33.97361
Website www.sipaero.ru
Map
Simferopol International Airport
Location of airport in Crimea
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 3,701 12,142 Concrete
Statistics (2017)
Passengers 5,128,738 Decrease
AIP of the Russian Federation URFF

Simferopol International Airport (Russian: Международный аэропорт "Симферополь", Mezhdunarodnyy aeroport "Simferopol’"; Ukrainian: Міжнародний аеропорт "Сімферополь", Mizhnarodnyy aeroport "Simferopol’"; Crimean Tatar: Aqmescit Halqara Ava Limanı, Акъмесджит Халкъара Ава Лиманы; (IATA: SIP) (Russian AIP: URFF, УРФФ [1]) is an airport in Simferopol, the capital of the Republic of Crimea. It was built in 1936. The airport has one international terminal and one domestic terminal. On 14 May 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (which de facto has no control over the airport) voted to rename it to Amet-khan Sultan International Airport, in memory of Amet-khan Sultan.[2] Another airport named after Amet-khan Sultan is Uytash Airport located in Makhachkala, Russia.

Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, the airport is only used for flights to and from Russia.

History

Simferopol International Airport terminal B (after 2015 reconstruction) and administrative building
Simferopol International Airport terminal B inside after reconstruction
Simferopol Airport from above

On 21 January 1936, the Council of People's Commissars of the Crimean Autonomous Republic decided to allocate land and begin construction of the Simferopol Airport. Simferopol to Moscow flights began in May 1936. Before the Second World War, regular air travel was established between Simferopol and Kiev, Kharkiv, and other airports. In 1957, a terminal was commissioned. Lighting equipment was installed on a dirt runway and IL-12, IL-14, and Mi-4 aircraft began landing at the airport. In 1960, a concrete runway with an apron and parking areas was constructed. The airport began to operate around the clock and in adverse weather conditions, using new aircraft such as Antonov An-10 and IL-18. In the 1950s and 1960s, the AN-2 carried cargo and passenger flights to regional centers of the Crimea, and the Mi-4 flew to Yalta. In the summer of 1960, a squadron of Tu-104 was organized for the first time in Ukrainian SSR. Starting in 1964, the An-24 was based at the airport.

Construction of the second runway, designed for IL-86, IL-76, IL-62, and Tu-154 aircraft, began in 1977. On 19 May 1982, Simferopol airport was the first in Ukrainian SSR to have a wide-IL-86. In subsequent years, this type of aircraft made an average of 5.6 daily flights to Moscow. In the summer of 1989, the airport was designated as a "western alternate airport" for landing the Buran spacecraft. In the early 2000s, the old runway 01R/19L (length 2700 m, PCN 22/R/B/X/T, accommodating a maximum weight of aircraft of 98 tonnes) was taken out of service because of its insufficient length and strength. Since then, it has been used as taxiway D with a length of 2100 m (the remaining 600 meters are unsuitable for taxiing). The second runway (01/19) is now in operation and is longer, wider and accommodates heavier aircraft.

Following the 2014 Crimean crisis pro-Russian militia forces took control of the airport on 28 February 2014. Crimean airspace was closed and air traffic was disrupted for two days.[3][4] On 11 March, Russian forces took over the control tower and closed Crimean airspace until the end of week. Ukraine International Flight PS65 was denied landing and diverted to Kiev.[5][6] With the Russian Takeover of the Airport, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) expressed concerns about the safety of international flights in the region and recommended airlines to avoid Crimean airspace. By the same token on 3 March 2014, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol), who also did not recognize the unilateral takeover of Ukrainian airspace by another country, had confirmed that the majority of transitional air routes have been closed, in accordance with the Chicago Convention. Ukrainian airlines also suspended routes to Simferopol.[7]

Under the Russian control (Russia not being a member of Eurocontrol), the airport operates flights only to destinations in Russia. On June 2014 Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a Government resolution №960[8] to open the airport for international flights, however, as of March 2016 no international flights were operated.[9] On 29 July 2014 Rosaviation granted Chechen airline Grozny Avia permission to operate nonstop flights from Simferopol to the Armenian capital of Yerevan and Turkish cities of Istanbul and Antalya. However, these flights were technically domestic since they operated with a stopover in Anapa. Both of the routes were suspended the same year.[10]

In May 2015 the Ukrainian Parliament voted in favor of renaming the Simferopol airport in honor of the Crimean-Tatar war hero Amet-khan Sultan. The Airport's management team has responded that the authority to decree such changes is vested in the Russian government, and that they do not feel the need to respond to the Ukrainian parliament's ruling.[11] Russian State Duma deputy, Vasiliy Likhachyov, has also released a statement dismissing this ruling as having no official authority.[12]

In May 2016 construction began of a new terminal building, with a larger hall on a wave-like structure and 8 gates for flights.

New Terminal

Check-in zone

The new terminal was opened on 16 April 2018, with the first arrival at 8:30 AM of Nordwind Airlines from Moscow-Sheremetyevo, followed by other flights. The terminal was previously checked by 400 volunteers on 12 April 2018. The current terminal will be for VIP, business passengers and some space is going to be converted to the trolleybus and bus terminal.[13][14]

This new terminal is 1km west from the old terminal, between the main runway and the old one, making the eastern part of the airport useless. Eventually, the old runway (01R/19L) will be reconstructed and the airport will be able to operate with two runways simultaneously, such as Domodedovo Airport. The new terminal has 8 gates to air-bridges and 8 gates to apron buses, 16 escalators and 28 lifts, 55 check-in counters and the airport terminal is able to handle 6 million passenger annually.[15][16]

Airlines and destinations

Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-96-300 at Simferopol Airport.
Globus Airlines Boeing 737-400 at Simferopol Airport.
Ural Airlines aircraft at Simferopol Airport

From March 2014 onwards, all flights to/from Simferopol Airport with the exception of flights originating from Russia were cancelled due to Crimea's disputed status. A flight to Istanbul, Turkey, was operated on 19 July 2014, and a flight to Yerevan, Armenia, was operated on 16 November 2014[17] by Grozny Avia, a Chechen airline. Technically both of these flights were not international because they had a stopover in Anapa Airport.[18][19]

Dobrolyot, a Russian government-owned low-cost airline, was sanctioned by the European Union for operating flights to Simferopol. The airline was forced to close less than two months after it started operations.

AirlinesDestinations
Aeroflot Moscow–Sheremetyevo (ends 28 October 2018)[20]
Aeroflot
operated by Rossiya		 Moscow–Vnukovo (ends 28 October 2018),[20] Moscow–Sheremetyevo (begins 28 October 2018)[20]
AlrosaSeasonal: Novosibirsk
Azimuth Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Rostov-on-Don-Platov[21]
Izhavia[22] Seasonal: Cheboksary, Kirov, Nizhnekamsk, Penza
Kosmos AirlinesSeasonal: Novokuznetsk, Tomsk
Kostroma Avia Seasonal: Kostroma, Voronezh
Nordavia Seasonal: Arkhangelsk, Cheboksary, Moscow-Domodedovo, Syktyvkar, Volgograd, Voronezh[23]
Pegas Fly Seasonal: Krasnoyarsk–Yemelyanovo, Novosibirsk[24]
Red Wings Airlines Moscow–Domodedovo, Saint Petersburg
Seasonal: Omsk, Tomsk, Tyumen,[25] Ufa
Rossiya Airlines Rostov-on-Don-Platov,[26] Sochi, St. Petersburg
Seasonal: Orenburg
RusLine Voronezh
Seasonal: Kursk, Volgograd, Ulyanovsk
S7 Airlines Moscow–Domodedovo
Seasonal: Novosibirsk
Severstal Seasonal: Cherepovets
Ural Airlines Belgorod, Kazan, Kemerovo ,[27] Kirov, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,[28] Magnitogorsk,[29] Moscow–Domodedovo, Moscow–Sheremetyevo,[30] Moscow-Zhukovsky,[31] Murmansk, Nizhnevartovsk,[32] Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk,[33] Samara, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg
Seasonal: Chelyabinsk, Rostov-on-Don-Platov[34]
UVT Aero Bugulma
Yakutia Airlines Seasonal: Irkutsk, Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Moscow–Vnukovo, Yakutsk
Yamal Airlines Tyumen
Seasonal: Kursk,[35] Moscow–Domodedovo, Nizhnevartovsk, Omsk, Surgut

Statistics

Annual traffic

Annual Passenger Traffic[36]
Year Passengers % Change
2010845,000Steady
2011964,000Increase 14.9%
20121,114,000Increase 15.6%
20131,204,000Increase 8.9%
20142,800,000Increase 133%
20155,017,758Increase 79%
20165,201,690Increase 3.7%
20175,128,738Decrease 1.4%

Ground transportation

Bus station terminal in Simferopol Airport, 2017

Trolleybus Route 9 runs from the airport to the Simferopol Railway station (and Kurortnaya bus station).

In 2015, a new direct express route has been launched. 24-hour Transexpress buses and trolleybuses connect the airport with the Simferopol Railway station in the city centre.[37] The route was launched in May 2015 by Crimean Trolleybus, and runs every 10 minutes without stops in both directions.[38]

Intercity trolleybus routes 54 and 55 run to the cities of Alushta, Yalta and resorts between them on the Southern Coast of Crimea. Route #55 Simferopol - Yalta, reestablished in April 2014, is known to be the world's longest trolleybus route.[39]

The airport is connected with Sevastopol Bus Station by direct bus route.

See also

References

  1. ↑ URFF SIMFEROPOL, AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION PUBLICATION, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
  2. ↑ "Ukrainian Rada voted for the renaming of the airport of Simferopol". rin.ru. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  3. ↑ https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-russian-military-blocking-airport-070312640.html
  4. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/28/ukraine-crisis-airspace-idUSL1N0LX1U520140228
  5. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10689654/Ukraine-crisis-Flights-into-Crimea-denied-permission-to-land.html
  6. ↑ http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=47253&icid=4&d_str=%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  7. ↑ http://argumentua.com/novosti/icao-nebo-nad-krymom-territoriya-ukrainy-gde-seichas-nebezopasno
  8. ↑ Об открытии аэропорта Симферополь для выполнения международных полётов
  9. ↑ "Simferopol airport in Crimea opens for international flights". Voice of Russia. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Chechen Airline Gets Permission for Flights From Simferopol to Istanbul". The Moscow Times. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Верховная рада переименовала аэропорт Симферополя". ТАСС (in Russian). 14 May 2015. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  12. ↑ "Депутат ГД: переименование Радой аэропорта Симферополя - спекуляция". РИА Новости Крым (in Russian). 14 May 2015. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  13. ↑ "Аэропорт «Симферополь» получил разрешение на ввод нового терминала". aif.ru. 13 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Новый терминал аэропорта «Симферополь» начал свою работу и уже принял первый рейс". 1tv.ru. 16 April 2018.
  15. ↑ "Новый терминал аэропорта "Симферополь" примет первых пассажиров 16 апреля". ria.ru. 12 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "РОСАВИАЦИЯ ВЫДАЛА РАЗРЕШЕНИЕ НА ВВОД В ЭКСПЛУАТАЦИЮ НОВОГО ТЕРМИНАЛА АЭРОПОРТА "СИМФЕРОПОЛЬ"". aviaport.ru. 12 April 2018.
  17. ↑ "«Прямой» рейс «Симферополь-Ереван» летит через Анапу" (in Russian). Крым.Реалии. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  18. ↑ ""Грозный Авиа" запустил регулярное авиасообщение Симферополь-Стамбул". Ria. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  19. ↑ "Air route to open between Armenia, Crimea". Kyiv Post. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 Liu, Jim (31 August 2018). "Rossiya Airlines W18 Moscow service changes". Routesonline. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  21. ↑ "Новый перевозчик "Азимут" запускает рейсы в Симферополь" [New carrier Azimut launches flights to Simferopol]. tass.ru. 23 April 2018.
  22. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/267492/izhavia-adds-new-simferopol-routes-from-june-2016/
  23. ↑ KerchInfo (1 June 2018). "Из аэропорта «Симферополь» будут летать новые рейсы". yandex zen.
  24. ↑ http://eng.tolmachevo.ru/passengers/information/schedule/?airport=8964&airline=90413&FromDate=13.02.15&ToDate=&setFilter=Y
  25. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272348/red-wings-adds-new-routes-in-s17/
  26. ↑ http://platov.aero/raspisanie_reysov
  27. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272959/ural-airlines-expands-simferopol-network-from-june-2017/
  28. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272959/ural-airlines-expands-simferopol-network-from-june-2017/
  29. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272959/ural-airlines-expands-simferopol-network-from-june-2017/
  30. ↑ "Авиакомпания "Уральские авиалинии" придет в Шереметьево". ato.ru. 19 October 2017.
  31. ↑ "Рейсы". zia.aero (in Russian). Zhukovsky International Airport. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  32. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272959/ural-airlines-expands-simferopol-network-from-june-2017/]
  33. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272959/ural-airlines-expands-simferopol-network-from-june-2017/
  34. ↑ http://platov.aero/raspisanie_reysov
  35. ↑ "С июня куряне смогут летать в Крым без пересадок". МК в Крыму. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  36. ↑ Аэропорт «Симферополь». "Международный аэропорт "Симферополь"". sipaero.ru.
  37. ↑ (in Russian)Трансэкспресс из аэропорта Archived 2 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine., Krymtrolleybus, 18 May 2015
  38. ↑ ""Transexpress" timetable". Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  39. ↑ (in Russian)Севастополь и Ялту соединит самый длинный в мире троллейбусный маршрут RIA Novosti, 13 August 2014

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