Alta Airport
Alta Airport Alta lufthavn | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Avinor | ||||||||||
| Serves | Alta, Norway | ||||||||||
| Location | Elvebakken, Alta | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 9 ft / 3 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 69°58′34″N 023°22′18″E / 69.97611°N 23.37167°E | ||||||||||
| Website | Official Website | ||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2006) | |||||||||||
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Alta Airport (IATA: ALF, ICAO: ENAT) (Template:Lang-no) is the airport of Alta, Norway. It is located about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of the town center of Alta, near the community Elvebakken on the southern shore of the Altafjord. The airport has a single paved 2,088 m (6,850 ft) runway. The government-owned Avinor is responsible for operations. With 334,132 passengers served in 2009 it is the busiest airport in Finnmark by passenger traffic.
The airport works as a semi-hub for operations in the SAS Group with many connections to regional airports in Finnmark. It is served with Boeing 737 aircraft to Oslo by Norwegian Air Shuttle and Scandinavian Airlines, and by the latter to Tromsø. Widerøe operates many of its regional services through Alta. The airport can handle non-Schengen flights in a designated section of the terminal building, although as of March 2010 no international flights to Alta Airport are yet in operation.
History
The airport was opened 3 May 1963, at the same time as Banak Airport in Lakselv and Høybuktmoen Airport in Kirkenes. For many years the only airline to serve Alta was Scandinavian Airlines, which operated routes to Tromsø and Oslo. Originally the airplanes serving Alta were Convair CV-440 Metropolitan propeller planes, while Douglas DC-9 jet aircraft were introduced in 1969, and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft in 1986.
When the new regional STOL routes in Finnmark were opened in 1974, Alta was serviced by Widerøe's Twin Otter aircraft. In 1990, Scandinavian changed their operation procedures in Finnmark, making Alta a hub with flights from other towns into Alta and flights to Oslo by jet aircraft. The spike routes were operated with 50 seat Fokker 50 aircraft by SAS Commuter.
In 2002, after Scandinavian acquired Braathens, Braathens took over Scandinavian's routes. The two airlines were merged in 2005. In 2003, Widerøe took over SAS Commuter's routes from Alta. Norwegian Air Shuttle operates low-cost flights to its hub at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen.
The authorization for the old terminal at Alta Airport expired in 2008. The planes parked too close to the runway according to the newer safety regulations.[5] The new, much larger terminal opened on 25 September 2009.[6]
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | Oslo-Gardermoen |
| Scandinavian Airlines | Oslo-Gardermoen, Tromsø |
| Widerøe | Hammerfest, Kirkenes, Lakselv, Tromsø, Vadsø[7] |
Ground transportation
Veolia provides shuttle bus service to Alta, with schedule coordinated with arrivals. Taxis are also available.
Photographs
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Baggage conveyor belt -
SAS check-in machines -
Airside waiting hall
References
- ^ Avinor (2010). "Årsrapport passasjerer" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ Avinor (2010). "Årsrapport flybevegelser" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ Avinor (2010). "Årsrapport frakt og post" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ EAD Basic
- ^ In the early summer of 2009 Alta Lufthavn will open their new terminal
- ^ Avinor, 2009/09/25
- ^ wideroe.no
External links
Media related to Alta Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Avinor entry for Alta Airport
- Avinor entry for Alta Airport (in Norwegian) (more detail)