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Sendai Airport

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Sendai Airport

仙台空港

Sendai Kūkō
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
LocationSendai
Elevation AMSL6 ft / 2 m
Websitewww.sdj-airport.com
Map
RJSS is located in Japan
RJSS
RJSS
Location in Japan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 3,000 9,843 Asphalt concrete
12/30 1,200 3,937 Asphalt concrete
Source: Japanese AIP at AIS Japan[1]

Sendai Airport (仙台空港, Sendai Kūkō) (IATA: SDJ, ICAO: RJSS) is an airport located in Natori, Miyagi, 13.6 km (8.5 mi) south southeast of Sendai Station,[1] Sendai, Japan.

History

In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army built Sendai Airport in order to use it for the Kumakaya Army Flight School, Masda Branch School Trainee Training Center. It was called by several names: Natory Airfield, Masda Airfield, and Yatory Airfield. In 1943, the Miho Army Flight Center moved into Sendai Airport and facilities were expanded and later reformed into Sendai Army Flight School.

At the end of World War II, the United States Army took control of the airport and its operations. In 1956, it was returned to Japan and transferred to the The Ministry of Defense. The Ministry of Transport was designated to administer and use it.

In 1957, the runway was extended to 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) and Nippon Helicopter Transport (now All Nippon Airways) established a route from Tokyo's (Haneda Airport) to Sendai. In 1963, All Nippon Airways Flight 802 missed its approach and crashed into the airport, but there were no fatalities. When the airport began to service commercial jets on February 14, 1970, runway B was extended to 2,000 metres (6,562 ft). Also, the flight school of Japan Ground Self Defense Force moved into North Utsunomiya Army Post. Beginning 6 April 1990, Asiana Airlines established a route to Seoul (Gimpo International Airport) to Sendai, thus beginning international service from the airport. In 1992, Runway B was extended further to 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) and 5 years later, in 1997, a new terminal was opened. On 5 December 2002 airport improved accessibility with the beginning of construction of the Sendai Airport Line rail link which was completed on 18 March 2007, and began service between Sendai Station and Sendai Airport Station. On 19 March 2010, the airport's observation deck Smile Terrace was opened.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Tsunami flooding around the airport
Troops conduct passenger terminal repairs using front-end loaders
Vehicle debris on Sendai airport access road after tsunami
Main article: 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

On 11 March 2011, the airport was first damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and then badly flooded by the subsequent tsunami.[2] In addition to submerging the tarmac, taxiways and runway,[3] the floodwaters reached up to parts of the 2nd level of the passenger terminal, rendering electrical equipment, transformers and safety equipment inoperable.[4] Operations at Sendai as well as Odate-Noshiro Airport and Sado Airport, which had been controlled by Sendai Airport control tower, were suspended. Some 1300 people were stranded within the terminal until 13 March, when they were evacuated.[4] By 17 March military engineers partially opened the airport for tsunami response flights.[5]

To reopen the airport, on 16 March 2011 a team from the United States Air Force's 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base parachuted into Matsushima, Miyagi, then moved overland to the airport. With assistance from Japan Self-Defense Forces, enough debris was removed in a few hours to allow Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft to begin landing with more equipment, personnel, and supplies. After further cleanup with help from additional US and Japanese military units, on 20 March 2011 a US Air Force C-17 landed at the airport with 40 metric tons of relief supplies.[6] Thereafter, the airport served as a transit location for airlifted supplies, totaling approximately 2 million tons of such items as blankets, water, and food. The US military set up and operated air traffic control operations for the airport until shortly before commercial traffic resumed, at which point air traffic control responsibility was resumed by Japanese controllers.[7]

The airport reopened to limited commercial traffic on 13 April 2011.[8] Japan Airlines and ANA conducted a total of six flights a day to Tokyo Haneda Airport upon resumption of services, with Japan Airlines also offering limited flights to Osaka Itami airport.[9][10]

Facilities

The main passenger terminal building was designed by Japanese American architect Gyo Obata, of the St. Louis architecture firm Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum.[11]

There are 4 floors in the terminal:

  • G1: arrivals area (domestic and international), baggage claim, customs, central Plaza - G1
  • M2 - arrivals concourse, atrium, customs control area
  • 2 - departure area (domestic and international), airline offices, check-in counters, lounges and waiting areaa
  • 3 - retail shops (4), business lounge, waiting area and access to observation deck

The airport has 8 Jet bridges to handle aircraft coming and leaving the airport

The west end of the terminal services domestic routes and the east side international routes.

The control tower, Tokyo Regional Civil Aviation Bureau office and Air Cargo Terminal are located on the west side of the main terminal building.

To the south side of the airport are the facilities for small private aircraft, helipads (4) and aircraft hangars.

Transportation

The Sendai Airport Line, which connects the airport to Sendai Station, opened on March 18, 2007. The journey to the downtown core of the city takes 17–25 minutes. After the earthquake and tsunami service was suspended however it reopened October 1 of that year.

The airport can be accessed by car via Sendai-Tobu Toll Road via Route 20. There are two car parks are located at the terminal building (Parking 1 with 970 spots) and east side of the airport property (Parking 2 with 250 spots).[12]

Buses and taxis also service the airport and located outside the Domestic Terminal:

  • Buses: Miyagi Kotsu (to Natori JR Station), Iwanuma Shimin (Iwanuma JR Station) and Sendai (Yamagat Zao - seasonal)
  • Taxis - Sendai City and Tatekoshi JR Station

Airlines and destinations

The airlines that operate at the airport mainly fly to domestic destinations. The few international flights are to destinations in the Far East. United Airlines's route to Guam is the only destination outside of Asia.

Note: Because of the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami, all scheduled service (except for humanitarian flights) were suspended from 11 March 2011 until 13 April 2011. Limited services resumed on 13 April 2011. Not all original Sendai destinations may be served. See destinations below for planned service resumption.[13] Regular domestic flights resumed on 25 July 2011 and most international flights resumed October 2011.[14]

Current Service

AirlinesDestinationsTerminal
Air China Beijing-Capital, Dalian, Shanghai-Pudong International
All Nippon Airways Nagoya-Centrair, Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Itami Domestic
ANA operated by Air Nippon Nagoya-Centrair, Sapporo-Chitose Domestic
ANA operated by ANA Wings Nagoya-Centrair, Osaka-Itami, Sapporo-Chitose, Tokyo-Narita Domestic
ANA operated by Ibex Airlines Hiroshima, Komatsu, Osaka-Itami, Sapporo-Chitose, Tokyo-Narita Domestic
Asiana Airlines Seoul-Incheon International
EVA Air Taipei-Taoyuan International
Hokkaido International Airlines Sapporo-Chitose Domestic
Japan Airlines operated by J-Air Fukuoka, Osaka-Itami, Sapporo-Chitose Domestic
Japan Airlines operated by JAL Express Nagoya-Centrair, Osaka-Itami Domestic
United Airlines Guam International

Pre Tsunami/Earthquake service that has not resumed

AirlinesDestinationsTerminal
China Southern Airlines Changchun International
Hong Kong Airlines Charter: Hong Kong International

References

  1. ^ a b AIS Japan
  2. ^ "News: Tsunami rolls through Pacific, Sendai Airport under water, Tokyo Narita closed, Pacific region airports endangered". Avherald.com. 2001-07-06. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  3. ^ McLean, Alan; Quealy, Kevin; Ericson, Matthew (13 March 2011). "Satellite Photos - Japan Before and After Tsunami". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  4. ^ a b 「仙台空港ビル 3/11 20:40現在　中２階まで浸水 現在周辺住民も含めて、目算で約1300名が避難中、孤立状況 3/13　9:00現在　 老人・重病者２００名が空港外へ避難完了 3/15　14:00現在　中2階まで浸水しており、調査の結果、1階部に設置してある電気設備・受変電設備・ボイラー・空調設備・自家発電・消防設備・ 監視カメラ等の機械電気設備は全滅状態である。」http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/kurin/
  5. ^ "Japan's Sendai Airport Opens Runway For Relief Efforts". Sendai Airport. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
  6. ^ Sankei Shimbun, "Elite U.S. airborne unit dropped over an airport and restores it", 27 March 2011.
  7. ^ Fackler, Martin, "U.S. Airmen Quietly Reopen Wrecked Airport in Japan", New York Times, 13 April 2011.
  8. ^ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/tsunami-hit-japan-airport-set-to-reopen/story-e6frf7jx-1226036213920
  9. ^ Koh, Yoree (8 April 2011). "Sendai Airport Back in Business April 13". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ^ Kyodo News, "Sendai Airport partially resumes domestic flights after quake", 13 April 2011.
  11. ^ Johnson, Julia M. (2005-03-04). "Obata keeps HOK's focus on meeting people's needs". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 2007-03-05. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ http://www.sdj-airport.com/english/access/page3.html
  13. ^ Koh, Yoree (8 April 2011). "Sendai Airport Back in Business April 13". The Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110624b1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29
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