Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Malami Aminu Kano Filin Jirgin Sama (Hausa) | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public/Military | ||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Kano, Nigeria | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,562 ft / 476 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 12°02′55″N 8°31′20″E / 12.04861°N 8.52222°E | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  KAN Location of the airport in Nigeria | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2009) | |||||||||||||||
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Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (IATA: KAN, ICAO: DNKN) is an airport serving Kano, the capital city of Kano State of Nigeria. It was a Royal Air Force station before the country became independent. It is the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was named after politician Aminu Kano.
The airport has an international and a domestic terminal. Construction started on a new domestic terminal and was commissioned on 23 May 2011. In 2009, the airport handled 323,482 passengers.
History
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport is the oldest in Nigeria, with operations starting in 1936. In the first decades of operation, it became an important fuel stop for airlines flying long-haul services between Europe and Africa. Newer aircraft did not need such fuel stops and, with the demise of the Kano economy in the late 20th century, many international airlines stopped serving the airport. Until they indefinitely suspended services in June 2012, KLM was the only European airline serving Kano, which they had done without interruption since 1947. This makes KLM the longest-serving foreign airline in Nigeria.
The bulk of international flights cater to the large Lebanese community in Kano and Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca.
Facilities
The airport serves civilian and military flights. Runway 06/24 is mainly used for civilian flights, while runway 05/23 primarily serves the Nigerian Air Force base at the south side of the airport. Runway 05/23 was in use for all operations when the main runway was rehabilitated in the beginning of the 21st century. The terminal facilities lie between the two runways.
The Kano VOR-DME (Ident: KAN) and non-directional beacons (Ident: KO) and (Ident: AO) are located on the field.[5][6][7]
The main terminal with the control tower serves international flights and domestic services operated by Arik Air. Facilities in the departure lounge are minimal, with a newsstand near the check-in counter and a small bar at airside. There is a small VIP lounge for business class passengers. Duty-free shops are currently closed. There is a small bar and a post office in the arrivals hall.
On the south side of the airport, along runway 06/24, is the domestic terminal currently serving operations of IRS Airlines. Facilities include a newsstand and small bar.
Construction of a new domestic terminal, adjacent to the main terminal building, started in the beginning of the 21st century. Construction was abandoned but was resumed. The operator of the airport, Federal Airports Authority Nigeria (FAAN), saw the completion of the new terminal in November 2009. It was commissioned on May 2011.[1]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Aero Contractors | Abuja, Asaba, Lagos |
| Arik Air | Abuja, Lagos |
| Azman Air | Abuja, Lagos |
| EgyptAir | Cairo |
| Ethiopian Airlines | Addis Ababa |
| Dornier Aviation Nigeria | Hajj: Jeddah |
| Max Air | Hajj: Jeddah |
| Med-View Airline | Lagos, Jeddah |
| Middle East Airlines | Beirut, Cairo |
| Sudan Airways | Khartoum |
| Saudia | Medina, Jeddah |
| Royal Air Maroc | Seasonal: Casablanca |
Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Emirates SkyCargo | Dubai-Al Maktoum[8] |
| Saudia | Jeddah |
Statistics
| Year | Total passengers | % Increase | Freight (tons) | Total Aircraft movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | ||||
| 2008 | 346,683 | |||
| 2009 | 323,482 | (−9.8%) |
Incidents
- On 24 June 1956, a BOAC four-engine Canadair C-4 Argonaut airliner crashed on departure from Kano International. Of the 45 passengers and crew on board, only 13 survived.
- On 22 January 1973, the Kano Air Disaster occurred - an Alia Boeing 707-320C crashed at Kano International while attempting to make a landing in high winds. 176 of the 202 passengers and crew on board were killed. It was and remains the worst aviation disaster in the history of Nigeria.
- On 4 May 2002, EAS Airlines Flight 4226, a BAC 1-11-500 twin-engine jet crashed upon take-off from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, killing 71 passengers and crew on board as well as 78 more on the ground into whose houses the plane had crashed.[10]
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ a b FAAN Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport
- ^ Template:WAD
- ^ Airport information for KAN at Great Circle Mapper.
- ^ Google Maps - Kano
- ^ KO NDB
- ^ AO NDB
- ^ KAN VOR
- ^ "Emirates SkyCargo Freighter Operations get ready for DWC move". Emirates SkyCargo. 2 April 2014.
- ^ Statistics from Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria[dead link]
- ^ Nigerian Sports Minister, 146 Others Feared Dead in Air Crash
