Ali Kunsha Airport

Ali Kunsha Airport, also called Ngari Günsa Airport, (IATA: NGQ, ICAO: ZUAL), also known as Shiquanhe Airport is a dual-use military and civil airport serving the town of Shiquanhe in Ngari Prefecture, between Gar Chongsar and Sogmai, Günsa Township, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. It started operations on 1 July 2010, becoming the fourth civil airport in Tibet after Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Qamdo airports.[2]

Ali Kunsha Airport

阿里昆莎机场

Ālǐ Kūnshā Jīchǎng
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
ServesShiquanhe
LocationGar Chongsar, Günsa Township, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet
Elevation AMSL4,274 m / 14,022 ft
Coordinates32°06′31″N 80°03′10″E
Map
NGQ is located in Tibet
NGQ
NGQ
Location of airport in Tibet
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 4,500 14,764 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Passengers190,056
Aircraft movements2,535
Cargo (metric tons)90.5
Source:[1]
Ali Kunsha Airport
Simplified Chinese阿里昆莎机场

Situated at 4,274 m (14,022 ft) above sea level, Gunsa Airport is the fourth highest airport in the world after Daocheng Yading Airport, Qamdo Bamda Airport, and Kangding Airport.[3][4] Gunsa airport has a 4,500-meter runway. It is expected to handle 120,000 passengers by 2020. Construction began in May 2007 and cost an estimated 1.65 billion yuan (241.22 million U.S. dollars).[2]

As Shiquanhe (Ali) is only a one-day bus drive (about 330 km) from the settlement of Darchen situated just north of Lake Manasarovar, facing Mount Kailash,[5] it is expected to benefit pilgrims to these two sites, which are considered sacred by Hindus,[6] Buddhists, Bonpa and Jains.[7][8] With the opening of Shigatse Peace Airport in October 2010, the five airports, coupled with the Qinghai–Tibet railway and a network of roads, are expected to increase tourism to scenic and holy sites in Tibet.[6]

Military buildup

Since the last major standoff between China and India at Doklam in 2017 military presence at the Ngari Gunsa Airport has been expanded with Shenyang J-16s and J-11s fighter jets stationed. The airport is 200 kilometres from Pangong Tso, Ladakh.[9][10]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
China Eastern Airlines Kashgar, Xi'an
Lucky Air Kashgar, Ürümqi
Tibet Airlines Hotan,[11] Lhasa, Shache,[11] Xi'an, Xining[11]

See also

Footnotes
  1. 阿里昆莎机场 Archived 2012-04-04 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Tibet's fourth civil airport opens Archived 2010-12-14 at the Wayback Machine
  3. The world’s third highest airport opens with milestone Airbus A319 flight Archived 2014-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 西藏阿里昆莎机场迎来首航 为世界海拔第三高
  5. Mayhew and Kohn (2005), p. 209.
  6. "Pilgrims to benefit from new Tibet Airport near Mt Kailash."
  7. Albinia (2008), p. 288,
  8. Gyurme (199), p. 36.
  9. Chan, Minnie (2020-06-04). "China flexing military muscle in border dispute with India". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  10. "China starts construction activities near Pangong Lake amid border tensions with India". Business Today. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  11. "最新！2023年夏航季西宁机场航班时刻表发布！". Retrieved 11 May 2023.

References
  • Albinia, Alice. (2008) Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River. First American Edition (2010) W. W. Norton & Company, New York. ISBN 978-0-393-33860-7.
  • Dorje, Gyurme. (2009) Tibet Handbook. Footprint Handbooks, Bath, England. ISBN 978-1-906098-32-2.
  • Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005) Tibet. 6th Edition. ISBN 1-74059-523-8.
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