Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport

Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport (IATA: TSR, ICAO: LRTR), is an international airport serving Timișoara, Romania. Located in the historical region of Banat, the airport is named in honour of Traian Vuia, a Romanian flight pioneer and a Timiș County native. It is the third-busiest Romanian airport in terms of air traffic, and the main air transportation hub for the western part of Romania and for the Danube–Criș–Mureș–Tisa Euroregion. The airport serves as an operating base for Wizz Air, and is considered a backup airport for Bucharest, Budapest, and Belgrade.

Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport

Aeroportul Internațional "Traian Vuia" Timișoara
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMinistry of Transport
OperatorRomanian Civil Aeronautical Authority
ServesTimișoara
LocationGhiroda, Timiș County
OpenedFebruary 28, 1964 (1964-02-28)
Focus city for
Time zoneEET (+2)
 • Summer (DST)EEST (+3)
Coordinates45°48′36″N 21°20′17″E
Websiteaerotim.ro/en
Map
TSR
Airport's location in Romania
TSR
TSR (Europe)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 11,483 3,500 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Passengers1,596,972 5.2%
Aircraft movements17,224
Freight5,939 t.
Source: aerotim.ro[1]

In 2017, Timișoara International Airport became first Romanian airport to be certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency.[2]

History

Timișoara's first airport, Timișoara Communal Airport, was built a few kilometers away from the current airport's position, in the village of Moșnița Veche. The first aircraft landed there on July 17, 1935.[3] The airport was rebuilt in its current location in the 1960s and became known as Giarmata Airport. The domestic terminal was opened on February 28, 1964.[3]

In the 1980s it was designated as an international airport and was upgraded with a CAT IIIa instrument landing system. The runway was extended from 2,500 to 3,500 metres and terminal buildings for international flights, control tower, the official hall and the administrative building were constructed.[3] The airport was named after aeronautics pioneer Traian Vuia on February 6, 2003.[3] The following year work to expand the international terminal commenced; and in 2006 the aircraft parking facilities were enlarged. These measures were taken to cater to increasing air traffic and the construction of a new parking lot and an access road in the airport. The extension works for the international terminal were completed in 2007.[3] In 2010 work to expand the domestic terminal was completed.[3]

Business Class Lounge at Timișoara International Airport

Future developments

In 2018, the development of airport infrastructure began, in particular the expansion of the terminal. A terminal for international arrivals is scheduled to be completed by June 2020. This new building will have a total surface of 4,383 m2 (47,178 sq ft) and will replace the old arrivals terminal.[4] The new terminal will be able to manage simultaneously three passenger flows, and will be provided with 10 checkpoints for documents, three luggage transport systems, customs control area, duty-free shopsv and bars. In the second phase, the existing facade will be expanded and modified.[4] A terminal for international departures is also scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. The capacity of the terminal will increase by 150% as 10 new boarding gates, 20 check-ins and 10 document checkpoints will be built. Alongside there will be six new security checkpoints, shopping and catering facilities.[5] The new terminals will be built in the eastern part of the current airport building. The cost of the project is estimated at 40 million euros.[6] Also, in preparation for 2021, when Timișoara will be the European Capital of Culture, the road connecting the airport with the city will be extended to four lanes.[6]

There are plans for an Airport City, a complex and innovative concept for Romania, through which will be built, in addition to air transport facilities, connecting road and rail transport infrastructure, hotels, restaurants, shops, conference centers and exhibition halls, with both public and private funds.[7]

Military use

Giarmata Airport was home to the Romanian Air Force RoAF 93rd Air Base, founded in 1953.[8] The 93rd Air Base was disbanded in September 2004 with the MiG-21 Lancers and IAR 330 moving to Câmpia Turzii for reassignment to the 71st Air Base.[9] Buildings and land belonging to former 93rd Air Base, totalling 240 hectares, were transferred to Timișoara Airport in 2006.[10] The air base also operated the MiG-23 Flogger, which was retired in early 2002. Over 30 MiG-23s are in storage at Timișoara Airport. Nowadays, the military section of the airport is an annex of the 71st Air Base.

Tarmac view
Timișoara International Airport domestic terminal
Timișoara International Airport international terminal

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Aegean AirlinesSeasonal charter: Heraklion, Rhodes
Air BucharestSeasonal charter: Antalya, Enfidha, Rhodes
AnimawingsCharter: Antalya, Enfidha[11]
Blue AirSeasonal: Bucharest
Seasonal charter: Heraklion, Zakynthos
Corendon AirlinesSeasonal charter: Antalya, Hurghada
EurowingsStuttgart
FlyEgyptSeasonal charter: Hurghada
Freebird AirlinesSeasonal charter: Antalya
LufthansaFrankfurt, Munich
RyanairBergamo, Bucharest
TAROMBucharest, Iași
Seasonal: Constanța
Seasonal charter: Antalya, Skiathos
Wizz AirBarcelona, Bari, Beauvais, Bergamo, Bologna, Charleroi, Dortmund, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, London–Luton, Madrid, Memmingen, Rome-Fiumincino, Treviso, Valencia

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
Airest Budapest
ASL Airlines Belgium Katowice, Liège, Munich
Silver Air Cluj-Napoca
Swiftair Budapest, Cologne/Bonn

Statistics

The airport's traffic rose significantly in the past ten years. Although, it experienced dramatic decrease after the bankruptcy of Carpatair, authorities of the airport announced that the negative trend should come to an end by 2015. In 2016 the airport handled 1,160,482 passengers and it is expected that the traffic numbers will reach 1.7 million passengers in 2017.[12]

Annual passenger, aircraft and cargo statistics
Year[12] Passengers (% change from prior year)Aircraft movements (% change from prior year)Cargo (tones, % change from prior year)
2006
753,934
24,817
2007
836,574(+11%)
25,379(+2.3%)
2008
890,704(+6.5%)
24,768(−2.4%)
2009
973,873(+9.3%)
24,815(+0.2%)
2010
1,138,431(+16.9%)
25,807(+4.0%)
2011
1,200,762(+5.5%)
23,214(−10.0%)
1,300
2012
1,035,929(−13.7%)
18,522(−20.2%)
2013
757,069(−26.9%)
11,929(−35.6%)
1,600
2014
734,790(−2.9%)
11,143(−6.6%)
1,937(+21.1%)
2015
924,459(+25.8%)
11,661(+4.6%)
2,606(+34.5%)
2016
1,160,482(+25.5%)
14,222(+22.0%)
3,887(+49.2%)
2017
1,621,529(+39.7%)
17,808(+25.3%)
4,586(+17.9%)
2018
1,517,309(-6.4%)
17,224(-3.3%)
5,939(+29.5%)
Traffic figures[13]
MonthPassengers
2018		Passengers
2019		Passengers
2020		Change
(2020 vs. 2019)		Aircraft
movements
2019		Aircraft
movements
2020		Change
(2020 vs. 2019)		Cargo
(tonnes)
2019		Cargo
(tonnes)
2020		Change
(2020 vs. 2019)
January119,275103,938119,416 14.9%1,3001,441 10.8%412434 5.3%
February117,991108,635112,753 3.8%
March127,716122,64440,254 67.2%
April115,264116,541
May119,831126,542
June130,896136,776
July142,139146,2381,431462
August143,508167,199
September139,940158,6591,640
October129,309143,0991,528
November122,393132,075
December109,047134,626
Total1,517,3091,596,972272,423 18.7%1,441 10.8%434 5.3%
Busiest routes from Timișoara International Airport
AirportPassengers
(2014)		Passengers
(2015)		ChangePassengers
(2016)		ChangePassengers
(2017)		ChangeAirlines
Bucharest154,508160,867 4.1%219,694 36.6%357,614 62.8%Ryanair, TAROM
London56,40773,856 30.9%144,132 95.2%233,144 61.6%Ryanair, Wizz Air
Munich161,548173,751 7.6%207,568 19.5%212,879 2.6%Lufthansa
Bergamo55,09682,189 49.2%101,791 23.8%165,244 62.3%Ryanair, Wizz Air
Charleroi3,96029,236 738.3%44,326 51.6%76,712 73.1%Ryanair, Wizz Air

Ground transportation
Access map to Timișoara airport

Car

The airport is located 12 km northeast of the center of Timișoara.[14] Access to the airport is via Calea Dorobanților and the European route E70, through a roundabout near the village of Ghiroda. A slightly longer alternative (but with less traffic flow) is to exit Timișoara on Calea Dorobanților and drive through the village Giarmata Vii instead, before heading back towards the airport. A third option, starting in the northern part of the city, is to use the ring road (DNCT) which, also through a roundabout, is connected with the road to the airport.

Taxi cabs have dedicated parking in front of the two terminals. The average cost for a ride to the city center is likely to fall within the range of 50-55 RON, depending on exact route and traffic flow. Ride-sharing services are not acknowledged by the airport, however the parking lot can be crossed on foot in a few minutes, and a car ordered at the entrance.

Several rent-a-car services (Avis, Europcar, Budget, Hertz, etc.) operate within the airport.[15]

Bus

The STPT Expres 4 line (E4) connects the terminal to the city center. The bus runs approximately once per hour on weekdays, and less frequently on weekends.[16] Timetables are printed and displayed near the bus station. Electronic timetables are also available, however the accuracy of the data is often questionable.

Since September 13, 2012, the Expres 4 barat line connects the airport directly with Timișoara North railway station, the main station in the city.[17] However, this bus only runs a few times per day, to connect the more important flights.

Paper tickets can be purchased inside the airport. One ticket costs 2,5 lei, and permits travel for up to one hour after the start of the journey.

OperatorLineDestinationRouteSchedule
STPT E4BastionCartier Aeroport–Ghiroda (DN6)–Piața Badea CârțanEvery 40–60 minutes
E4 baratGara de NordGhiroda (DN6)–Piața Badea Cârțan–Bastion–Piața 700Depends on flight schedule[18]

Private operators organize daily minibus rides connecting the city of Arad and Timișoara airport. There is also, on request, the possibility of transferring, also by minibus, to Serbia.

Rail

There are plans in the future to build a new railway from the airport terminal itself to the Central Station in the city centre. Currently there is a branch line which runs to the airport but it is only used for cargo trains.

See also

References
  1. Nicoleta Trifan (17 January 2017). "Traficul pe 2016, peste așteptări la Aeroportul Internațional Timișoara". Aerotim (in Romanian).
  2. Nicoleta Trifan (21 December 2017). "Aeroportul Internațional Timișoara, la final de an". Aerotim (in Romanian).
  3. "Istoric". Aerotim.
  4. Roxana Tîrpe-Manasia (24 December 2020). "Aeroportul Timișoara se pregateste de finalizarea noului terminal. Licitatie pentru dotari". aerotim.ro (in Romanian).
  5. Bogdan Marta (25 December 2017). "Două noi terminale vor fi construite la Aeroportul Internațional Timișoara". TION (in Romanian).
  6. Liliana Iedu (6 September 2019). "Creste Aeroportul Timișoara. Terminalul de sosiri externe, in linie dreapta. Investitii de zeci de milioane de euro". opiniatimisoarei.ro (in Romanian).
  7. "Noi oportunități pentru Aeroportul Timișoara: Airport City" (PDF). Aerotim (in Romanian). p. 9.
  8. Otilia Halunga (20 July 2013). "Timiș: Acrobații cu aeronavele IAR Puma, pe Aerodromul Giarmata, de Ziua Forțelor Aeriene Române". AGERPRES (in Romanian).
  9. "Baza aeriană de la Timișoara va fi desființată". Adevărul (in Romanian). 20 April 2004.
  10. Alina Sabou (13 April 2006). "Terenurile de la Baza Aeriană Giarmata au revenit Aeroportului Timișoara". HotNews (in Romanian).
  11. https://animawings.com/routes-network/
  12. "Evoluție trafic". Aerotim (in Romanian).
  13. "Anker-report.com EATS-European Airport Traffic Statistics". The Anker Report.
  14. "Localizare". Aerotim (in Romanian).
  15. "Transport aerogară". Aerotim (in Romanian).
  16. "Aeroport - Bastion" (PDF). RAT Timișoara (in Romanian).
  17. "Expres 4B" (PDF). RAT Timișoara (in Romanian).
  18. Liliana Iedu (11 September 2012). "RATT înființează o nouă linie de transport în Timișoara: Expres 4 barat, care leagă Aeroportul de Gara de Nord. Vezi întreg traseul!". Opinia Timișoarei (in Romanian).

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