From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ashgabat Airport (IATA: ASB, ICAO: UTAA), also known as Saparmurat Turkmenbashy International Airport, is one of two international airports in Turkmenistan. It is located approximately 10 km (6 mi) northwest of the capital Ashgabat (Ashkhabad). The airport, with its air traffic control tower and a 12,000-foot (3,700 m)-long precision-approach runway (12L-30R), opened in 1994 and was named after the country's first president, Saparmyrat Niyazov.
[edit] Airlines and destinations
| Airlines |
Destinations |
| China Southern Airlines |
Urumqi |
| Lufthansa |
Baku, Frankfurt |
| S7 Airlines |
Moscow-Domodedovo |
| Turkish Airlines |
Istanbul-Atatürk |
| Turkmenistan Airlines |
Abu Dhabi, Amritsar, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Beijing, Birmingham, Delhi, Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul-Atatürk, London-Heathrow, Minsk, Moscow-Domodedovo, Turkmenbashi, Turkmenabat, Mary, Dasoguz |
| Uzbekistan Airways |
Tashkent |
| Wind Rose Aviation |
Kiev-Boryspil [begins 4 July] |
[edit] Criticism
As a part of Niyazov's aspiration to transform Turkmenistan into 'the new Kuwait', he sought to construct a distinctive airport. This zeal resulted in the control tower being constructed on the wrong side of the runway. The 'gaudy new terminal' now blocked the view of air traffic controllers as they guided pilots. The builders warned him of this, however, he responded that, "It looks better this way."[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Ghost Wars, Steve Coll; pg. 303 along with the corresponding footnote on pg. 627.
[edit] External links
