Visakhapatnam Airport

Visakhapatnam Airport (IATA: VTZ, ICAO: VOVZ) is a custom airport in Visakhapatnam, India. AAI (Airports Authority of India) maintains a Civil Enclave at Visakhapatnam catering to civil passenger movements. Situated to the North-East of Andhra Pradesh, this airport is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. The airport provides domestic services catering to the requirements of Andhra Pradesh north coastal districts as well as neighboring districts of Odisha and some parts of Chhattisgarh. The airport is situated at a distance of 7 km from the city center. In 2017–18, the airport handled more than 2.8 million passengers, making it the one of the busiest airport in South India. It also operates as a civil enclave on an Indian Navy airbase named INS Dega. It lies between the city localities of NAD Cross Road and Gajuwaka. [4]

Visakhapatnam Airport
Summary
Airport typeCivil enclave
OwnerIndian Navy
Operator
ServesVisakhapatnam
LocationVisakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Hub forAir India Regional
Focus city forIndigo
Elevation AMSL3 m / 10 ft
Coordinates17°43′16″N 083°13′28″E
Websitehttps://www.aai.aero/en/airports/visakhapatnam
Map
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 3,048 10,000 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2019 - March 2020)
Passengers2,681,283(6%)
Aircraft movements20,935 (11.6%)
Cargo tonnage5,536 (2.6%)
Statistics: AAI[1][2] [3]

The airport has experienced significant growth since the beginning of the 21st century, with the construction of a new terminal and runway and the commencing of international flights. The airport covers an area of 350.31 acres. Recently, ASQ (Air Service Quality) ranking, given by the Airport Council International (ACI), has placed Visakhapatnam International Airport in the 70th position this year among airports across the world.[5]

Lush green surroundings of the airport

History

In 1981, the airport commenced civilian operations with one flight per day. The original runway was 6,000 ft (1,800 m) long. A new 10,007 ft (3,050 m) long and 45 m (148 ft) wide runway was inaugurated on 15 June 2007 to accommodate medium-sized and wide-body aircraft, with the installation and calibration of an instrument landing system (ILS) on Runway 28 as well. Used initially only for military operations, the ILS became operational for commercial aircraft from 30 March 2008. A new terminal building was inaugurated on 20 February 2009 and became operational on 27 March that year.[6]

Future

Terminal Expansion

The expansion project is undertaken to enhance the traffic handling capacity. Once the expansion of the terminal building is completed, an additional 15,000 sqm of space will be added to the existing 20400 sqm, making a total space of 35000 sqm. The additional space would be utilized exclusively for international arrivals and departures. The existing space, which is now being used for international arrivals and departures will be used to cater to the needs of the requirements of the domestic passengers. Some equipment such as escalators, elevators and conveyor belts will be procured from abroad. The new terminal building has six parking bays and three aero-bridges. Six more are under construction. On completion, it will facilitate parking of 16 planes at a time. In one hour, 16 flights can land and take off which means handling over 3,000 passengers at the airport at a time. The expansion of the terminal building is expected to take care of that load. Around 80% of the expansion work has been completed.

In addition to this, there are four parking bays at the apron near the old terminal building. These parking bays are now being used for the movements of non-scheduled aircraft and VIP planes. The present peak hour passenger capacity of 700 will increase to 1,050 on completion of the terminal building expansion.

Additionally, the AAI has undertaken the construction of a wall and putting up illuminated signboards near the National Highway.[7]

N5 taxi track

N5 taxi track is to facilitate an increased number of flight movements at Visakhapatnam airport. the N3 and N4 taxi tracks, which are currently operational, handle up to 10 flight movements per hour. With the commissioning of the N5 taxi track, 6 additional flight movements, per hour, are expected to be witnessed at Visakhapatnam airport. The runway is 10,000 ft. long and can handle the B767 class of aircraft. With the commissioning of new tarmac and N5 taxi track, 6 additional flight movements can be accommodated per hour


Facilities

Structure

The passenger terminal can handle 300 arriving and 700 departing passengers. It covers an area of 20,400 square meters. The airport has a total of 11 parking bays.[8] The airport provides many passenger friendly services that includes trolleys, ATMs, bank, car rental service, pre-paid taxis, money exchange, medical and rest room. Other general facilities at the airport are snack bar, gift and garment shop, handicraft shop, health kiosk & spa and branded food outlets.

Runways

The airport has one runway.[8]

  • Runway 10/28: 3,048 by 45 metres (10,000 ft × 148 ft), ILS equipped.
  • Runway 05/23: 1,829 by 45 metres (6,001 ft × 148 ft)

Among these Runway 10/28 is usually used for Commercial/Public Aviation while Runway 05/23 is used by Indian Navy for INS Dega.

Passenger

The new passenger terminal was opened in 2009 and can handle 2 million passengers per annum. Terminal of Vizag airport has:

  • 20 check-in counters + 5 self check-in
  • 12 Immigration counters
  • 9 custom counters
  • 7 security counters
  • 3 Baggage belts

Also there are 8 contact and 3 remote parking bays for passenger aircraft. The terminal has three aerobridges.[8]

Cargo

The Air Cargo Complex is operating 24x7 basis by AAICLAS, subsidiary of Airports Authority of India. Both the International & Domestic Cargo operations take place in same terminal. There are 3 separate parking bays for cargo services.[8]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
IndiGo Airbus A320 at Visakhapatnam Airport, 2014
AirlinesDestinations
AirAsiaKuala Lumpur–International, Bangkok–Don Mueang[9]
AirAsia India Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata
Air India Delhi, Dubai–International, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Port Blair, Raipur, Tirupati
Alliance AirHyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati
IndiGoAhmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore,[10] Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kurnool (begins 28 March 2021),[11] Mumbai, Port Blair (begins 28 March 2021), Rajahmundry,[12] Silchar,[10] Tirupati,[10] Vijayawada
Scoot Singapore[13][14]
SpiceJet Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur–International Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai
TruJet Hyderabad,[15] Tirupati,[15] Vijayawada[15]
Spicejet on runway

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
SpiceXpress Chennai, Kolkata, Surat[16]

Statistics
Annual passenger traffic and aircraft movements at Visakhapatnam Airport
Year Passenger traffic Aircraft movement
Passengers Percent change Aircraft movements Percent change
2018 2,815,205[17] +16.8% 23,264[18] +21.2%
2017 2,409,712[19] +5.8% 19,193[20] +1.0%
2016 2,277,335[19] +44.4% 19,007[20] +23.7%
2015 1,577,497[21] +49.4% 15,361[22] +42.2%
2014 1,056,096[21] +5.9% 10,804[22] −8.8%
2013 1,025,396[23] −1.8% 11,846[24] −25.5%
2012 1,044,906[23] +19.0% 15,896[24] +10.6%
2011 878,000[25] +29.4% 14,367[26] +25.9%
2010 678,255[25] +8.4% 11,413[26] −5.8%
2009 625,767[27] 12,115[28]

Transport Access

The city's airport can be easily accessible from every corner of the city. The airport is situated at a distance of 7 km from the city center and lies between the city localities of NAD Cross Road and Gajuwaka. [4] Hence all buses plying between these two locations have a stop here. Vehicle for hire companies serving localities to access airport daily are Ola and Uber. Also private operators serve the airport from neighboring cities and towns. APSRTC plies buses from airport to places like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Narsipatnam, Anakapalle, Annavaram, Kakinada, Araku. Visakhapatnam Railway Station is located at a distance of 7km from airport.

INS Dega naval base
Main article: INS Dega

The Indian Navy started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in the late 1970s, with the construction of four helipads adjacent to the civil airfield. The airport at Visakhapatnam was transferred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in 1981. Additional hangars, maintenance facilities, and an operations complex were constructed soon after. The air station was called "Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam".

On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INS Dega.[29] The base has two aprons and is home to several squadrons: INAS 311, INAS 321, INAS 333, and INAS 350.

References
  1. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 22 May 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 22 May 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  3. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-IV" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 22 May 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2020. url-status=live}}
  4. "Vizag Airport Info". skyscanner.
  5. "Vizag airport ranks 70th position in world". The Hindu. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  6. "Vizag airport terminal to be inaugurated on Feb 20". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  7. "Vizag terminal expansions gear up". The Hindu. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  8. "Visakhapatnam Airport".
  9. "Air Asia to resume Vizag Bangkok flights". thehindu.com. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  10. "Flights from Visakhapatnam" (PDF). Goindigo.in. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  11. "IndiGo flights from Kurnool to begin on March 28". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  12. "Flights between Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry". Goindigo.in. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  13. "Scoot adds Vishakhapatnam service in W19". Routesonline. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  14. Lim, Sean (22 November 2018). "Frequent fliers on some SilkAir routes will soon have to fly Scoot, SIA announces ahead of merger". businessinsider.sg. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  15. "TruJet to start services to Vizag". thehindu.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  16. "Spicejet introduces dedicated freighter services from Chennai & Vizag to Surat & Kolkata/Durgapur from 26th Feb 2020". 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  17. "Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  18. "Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  19. "Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  20. "Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  21. Traffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  22. Traffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. Traffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  24. Traffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  25. Traffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  26. Traffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  27. Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  28. Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  29. "INS Dega". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2013.

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