Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport Aeroportul Internațional Henri Coandă București | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public / Military | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | The National Company "Bucharest Airports" S.A. | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Bucharest, Romania | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Otopeni | ||||||||||||||
| Hub for | |||||||||||||||
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| Elevation AMSL | 314 ft / 96 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 44°34′16″N 026°05′06″E / 44.57111°N 26.08500°E | ||||||||||||||
| Website | bucharestairports.ro | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  OTP Location within Romania | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2018) | |||||||||||||||
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Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (Romanian: Aeroportul Internațional Henri Coandă București) (IATA: OTP, ICAO: LROP) is Romania's busiest international airport, located in Otopeni, 16.5 km (10.3 mi) north of Bucharest's city centre.[1] It is currently one of two airports serving the capital of Romania. The other is Aurel Vlaicu Airport, which no longer serves scheduled passenger traffic.
The airport is named after Romanian flight pioneer Henri Coandă, builder of Coandă-1910 aircraft and discoverer of the Coandă effect of fluidics. Prior to May 2004, the official name was Bucharest Otopeni International Airport (Romanian: Aeroportul Internațional București Otopeni). Henri Coandă International Airport serves as headquarters for TAROM, the country's national airline.[3] It also serves as a base of operations for low-cost airlines Blue Air, Ryanair and Wizz Air. It is managed by The National Company Bucharest Airports S.A. (Compania Națională Aeroporturi București S.A.).[4] The military section of the airport is used by the 90th Airlift Flotilla of the Romanian Air Force.
History
Early years
During World War II, the airport in Otopeni was used as an airbase by the German Air Force. Until 1965, it was a major airfield for the Romanian Air Force, with Băneasa Airport serving as Bucharest's commercial airport. In 1965, with the growth of air traffic, the Otopeni airbase was converted to a commercial airport. The runway was modernized and extended to 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) from the previous 1,200 metres (3,900 ft), making it one of the longest in Europe at that time.[5]
In August 1969, when United States President Nixon visited Romania, a VIP lounge was inaugurated. A new passenger terminal (designed by Cezar Lăzărescu), with a capacity of 1,200,000 passengers per year, was opened on 13 April 1970, for domestic and international flights.[5] An improvement program added a second runway in 1986, expanding capacity to 35 aircraft movements per hour.[5]
In 1992, Otopeni Airport became a regular member of Airports Council International (ACI).
Expansion since the 1990s
The first stage of the plan (Phase I), taking place between 1994 and 1998, involved the construction a new departures terminal and of a new airside concourse with five jetways and nine gates (referred to as 'the Finger') as well as the extension of airport ramps and of their associated taxiways.[6]
The second phase (labeled Phase II/IIe) of the plan led to the construction of a terminal dedicated to domestic flights and of a multi-story car park (2003), the complete overhaul of the control tower (between 2005–2007) as well as the transformation of the old terminal building in a dedicated arrivals hall (in 2000). During the same phase, two high-speed taxiways (Victor and Whiskey) were constructed. Phase II was completed in 2007.[6]
The third stage of the plan (Phase III), which started in 2009, involved the extension of the airside concourse ('the Finger') with 15 new gates (nine of which have jetways), as well as the expansion of the Departure Hall (with 8 new gates). The airside concourse extension, designed by Studio Capelli Architettura & Associati, and measuring 17,000 square metres (200,000 sq ft), was inaugurated on 29 March 2011.[6][7] It was followed, in November 2012, by the extension of the Departure Hall to a total area of 38,600 square metres (400,000 sq ft).[8][9]
In March 2012, all air traffic except for business air traffic was transferred from Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (at that time Bucharest's low-cost hub) to Henri Coandă International Airport.
Terminals
The airport's facilities consist of a single terminal with three main facilities (colloquially referred to as "Terminals"): the Departures Hall/Terminal, the Arrivals Hall/Terminal, and the Finger Terminal (the airside concourse).[10] A walkway with shops connects the departures and arrivals buildings. The airside concourse is organized in two (domestic and international) passengers flows.[11] The entire terminal has 104 check-in desks, 38 gates (of which 14 are equipped with jetways),[8] and a total floor area of 86,000 square metres (930,000 sq ft).[5][7][9]
Future development
Beyond Phase III, a new terminal building (Henri Coandă 2) at the eastern end of the current location is envisaged. Henri Coandă 2 will be of a modular design, consisting of four separate buildings, each capable of handling 5 million passengers annually. Each module will be built as traffic demands dictate. By 2030, Terminal 2 alone should be able to handle the expected volume of 20 million passengers per year. The terminal will be directly connected to the A3 motorway, to the railway system, and to the Bucharest Metro system through Metro Line 6.[12] However, the plans might get delayed due to funding problems. There is a chance however that, if funds can be allocated in time, the airport can open its new terminal by 2030.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| ASL Airlines Belgium | Liège, Munich, Sofia |
| DHL Aviation | Bergamo, Budapest, Chișinău, Treviso |
| UPS Airlines | Cologne/Bonn, Katowice |
Statistics
Passengers
In 2018, 13,824,830 passengers passed through the airport, an increase of 7.95% compared to 2017.[29]
| Year | Passengers (total)[29] | Change[29] | Passengers (domestic flights) | Aircraft movements[30] | Cargo (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2,972,799 | 49,593 | 16,887 | ||
| 2006 | 3,497,938 |  17.6%
|
55,056 | 18,089 | |
| 2007 | 4,937,683 | 41.1%
|
410,916 | 67,372 | 17,423 |
| 2008 | 5,063,555 | 2.5%
|
497,208 | 69,916 | 22,464 |
| 2009 | 4,480,765 |  11.5%
|
496,391 | 69,692 | 21,585 |
| 2010 | 4,916,964 | 9.7%
|
71,481 | ||
| 2011 | 5,049,443 | 2.7%
|
|||
| 2012 | 7,120,024 | 41%
|
98,600 | 26,493 | |
| 2013 | 7,643,467 | 7.3%
|
86,730 | 28,432 | |
| 2014 | 8,316,705 | 8.8%
|
91,788 | 29,193 | |
| 2015 | 9,282,884 | 11.6%
|
502,928 | 97,218 | 31,421 |
| 2016 | 10,982,967 | 18.3%
|
872,915 | 108,285 | 34,125 |
| 2017 | 12,804,191 | 16.6%
|
1,289,596 | 116,718 | 37,415 |
| 2018 | 13,824,830 | 7.95%
|
122,966 |
 |
| Month | Passengers[29] | Change (2017–2018) | Passengers Cumulatively |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 907,630 | 7.1%
|
907,630 |
| February | 847,200 | 4.7%
|
1,754,830 |
| March | 1,005,602 | 6.7%
|
2,760,432 |
| April | 1,139,852 | 9%
|
3,900,284 |
| May | 1,182,105 | 7.2%
|
5,082,389 |
| June | 1,254,710 | 7.4%
|
6,337,099 |
| July | 1,394,908 | 8.9%
|
7,732,007 |
| August | 1,424,175 | 7.9%
|
9,156,182 |
| September | 1,339,889 | 8.2%
|
10,496,071 |
| October | 1,238,860 | 7.3%
|
11,734,931 |
| November | 1,063,278 | 11.1%
|
12,798,209 |
| December | 1,026,621 | %
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13,824,830 |
Busiest routes
| Rank | Airport | Passengers 2016 | Passengers 2017 | Passengers 2018 | Carriers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cluj Airport |
Blue Air, TAROM | ||||||
| 2 | Timișoara Airport |
Ryanair, TAROM | ||||||
| 3 | Iași Airport |
Blue Air, TAROM | ||||||
| Sources:Eurostat,[31] INSSE[32] | ||||||||
Ground transportation
Rail
A direct train service to the main railway station, Gara de Nord, runs from the Airport railway station, about 900 meters from the airport. Shuttle buses connect this station with the departures and arrivals halls; the tickets are valid for the train and for the transfer bus.[34] As of June 2019, works are being carried out to locate the station in front of the arrivals terminal. By 2020 a trip from Gara de Nord to the airport should take no more than 20 minutes.[35]
By 2025, Bucharest Metro Line M6 should open, connecting the airport to the Gara de Nord (Bucharest North) train station, and integrating the airport into the Bucharest Metro network.[36]
Bus
Henri Coandă Airport is connected to the public transport company STB system. The 780 route provides express bus service to Gara de Nord and Gara Basarab railway stations in Bucharest, the 782 route provides a short service to Baneasa Commercial Complex and the routes 783 and 784 provide express bus service to the city center (Piața Unirii).[37]
Car
The airport is 16.5 km (10.3 mi) north of central Bucharest, to which it is connected by route DN1. The A3 motorway will connect the future terminal 2 and the city.
Taxi
As of May 2013, taxis serving Henri Coandă Airport can be ordered using a touch screen system in the arrivals terminal, allowing the taxi drivers to enter the pick-up area. This measure was taken after many complaints from passengers who were being ripped off when using illegal, high-price taxis.[38]
Uber and Bolt are also available at the airport.
Incidents and accidents
- On 31 March 1995, TAROM Flight 371, an Airbus A310-324 registered as YR-LCC, stalled after take off and crashed near Baloteşti. All 60 people aboard were killed.[39]
See also
- List of the busiest airports in Europe by passenger traffic
- List of the busiest airports in Romania
- List of airports in Romania
- Aviation in Romania
- Transportation in Romania
References
- ^ a b "EAD Basic – Error Page". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Bucharest Airports - Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport - Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport". www.bucharestairports.ro.
- ^ "TAROM S.A. – Identification Data
- ^ "Contact." Henri Coandă International Airport. Retrieved on 1 December 2011. "The National Company "Bucharest Airports" S.A. Calea Bucurestilor nr. 224 E Otopeni, Ilfov County Postal code 075150 Romania" – Address in Romanian: "Compania Națională "Aeroporturi București" S.A. Calea Bucureștilor nr. 224 E Otopeni, județul Ilfov Cod postal 075150 România"
- ^ a b c d AIHCB 2007 Report at bucharestairports.ro
- ^ a b c "Archived copy" (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Romanian Ministry of Transportation – Descriptive Note – Otopeni Airport Development Strategy - ^ a b "Bucharest Airport Archived 2011-11-11 at the Wayback Machine at a10.eu
- ^ a b New Departure Hall extension opened Template:Ro icon
- ^ a b Noul Terminal Plecari al Aeroportului Otopeni Template:Ro icon
- ^ Bucharest Otopeni Airport, the last frontier Template:Ro icon
- ^ A new terminal Template:Ro icon
- ^ [1] Template:Ro icon The Romanian Ministry of Transportation
- ^ a b c d e "Charter programme". kusadasi.ro.
- ^ "Air Canada Expands its Global Network from Montreal with New Service to Bucharest, Romania and Lisbon, Portugal". www.newswire.ca.
- ^ "Air Canada Rouge Inaugurates Bucharest From Montreal and Toronto". ca.travelpulse.com.
- ^ Arkia. "Arkia Israeli Airlines - Flights to Tel Aviv, Eilat Packages, Hotels in Israel". www.arkia.com.
- ^ "Prestige Tours". prestigetours.ro/.
- ^ "Flight schedule". www.blueairweb.com.
- ^ a b "Timetable". www.tez-tour.com.
- ^ "Croatia Airlines schedules new routes in S17". Routesonline. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ "LOT Polish Airlines expands Budapest network from Sep 2019". routesonline.com. 18 February 2019.
- ^ "New Routes from Bucharest & Vilnius to London Southend | Ryanair's Corporate Website".
- ^ "SAS Makes Your Travel Easier". www.flysas.com.
- ^ tarom.ro - Flight schedule retrieved 16 February 2019
- ^ NewAgeLab. "WindRose. Airline tickets. Book and Buy online. Ticket". windrose.kiev.ua.
- ^ a b "Wizz Air to launch first routes from London Southend". businesstraveller.com. 22 August 2019. Cite error: The named reference "Wizz" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Wizz Air launches flight to new Eilat Airport". bbj.hu. 25 May 2019.
- ^ "Welcome to the world of opportunity! | Wizz Air".
- ^ a b c d "Anna.aero database". Retrieved 25 May 2017.
- ^ ORDIN 169/1.801. Planul național de acțiune privind reducerea emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră în domeniul aviației civile Template:Ro icon
- ^ "Home - Eurostat". ec.europa.eu.
- ^ "Transportul aeroportuar pe anul 2015" (PDF) (in Romanian). INSSE.
- ^ Flightradar24. "Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!". Flightradar24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Bucharest Airports – Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport – Train connection". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/bucurestiul-legat-de-otopeni-printr-o-cale-ferata-pariul-facut-de-constructorul-lucrarii.html. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Chirileasa, Andrei (2015-04-29). "Romania finances subway extension with money from emissions trading". Romania Insider. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
- ^ "Bucharest Airports – Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport – Bus". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Touch screen installed for cab ordering at Otopeni airport in Bucharest". Romania Insider. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "15 ani de la cea mai mare catastrofă aeriană din istoria României". Adevărul. 31 March 2010. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010.
External links
Media related to Henri Coandă International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
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