Kukës International Airport Zayed

Kukës International Airport Zayed-North Wings (Albanian: Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Kukësit Zayed-Flatrat e Veriut, IATA: KFZ, ICAO: LAKU),[1] also referred to as Kukës International Airport Zayed (Albanian: Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Kukësit Zayed), is an international airport in Kukës, Kukës County, Albania. The airport is located 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south of the city of Kukës. The main purpose of Kukës International Airport is to serve as an alternative airport to Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza.

Kukës International Airport Zayed

Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Kukësit Zayed
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMunicipality of Kukës
OperatorMunicipality of Kukës, Bami SHPK and Global Technical Mechanics SHPK
ServesKukës, Kukës County, Albania
LocationShtiqën, Kukës County, Albania
Opened9 July 2021 (2021-07-09)[a]
Elevation AMSL1,120 ft / 341 m
Coordinates42°1′58.2″N 20°24′53.8″E
Websitewww.kuiport.al
Map
KFZ is located in Albania
KFZ
KFZ
Location in Albania
KFZ is located in Mediterranean
KFZ
KFZ
Location in the Mediterranean
KFZ is located in Europe
KFZ
KFZ
Location in Europe
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 2,198 7,211 Asphalt

The airport was built with United Arab Emirates investments made at the time of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and, to honor these investments, the airport bears the name of Sheikh Zayed.[2] It is designed to serve as a low-cost airport.[3]

History

Beginnings as domestic airfield

Kukës International Airport is located 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south of the city of Kukës, in the village Shtiqën. The beginnings of Kukës International Airport date back to 1929 when on 20 April it opened for the first time as a domestic airfield offering an air connection between Tirana and Kukës via Peshkopi. The air link was operational for 15 years until the communist regime did not see fit to allow it to function as a civil airfield and turned it into a military airfield.[4]

Reactivation and transformation

During the Kosovo War, the United Arab Emirates organized a modern camp in Kukës to help Kosovo War refugees.[5] First, they developed an airfield for the supply of incoming aid to Kukës.[5] At that time, the United Arab Emirates representatives presented the idea for the development of the civil airport as a gift to the area, which faced the largest influx of citizens of Kosovo. After accepting this idea, the Kukës Airport project was further developed with joint studies of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation and investors. Based on the decision of the Council of Ministers of 15 February 2001, a Memorandum of Understanding was approved between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the construction of Kukës Airport.[6]

Construction of the airport began on 10 May 2003 and was completed on 31 October 2005 and was expected to employ more than 200 people, helping the local economy by opening more touristic opportunities for the region.[7] The total investment amount was approximately $20 million, a funding gift from the government of the United Arab Emirates. On 7 June 2006, Kukës Airport came under the administration of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, which, after 2010, was renamed the Civil Aviation Authority.[6]

In 2021, the name was changed to Kukës International Airport Zayed (Albanian: Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Kukësit Zayed) by Prime Minister Edi Rama, in honour of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who sponsored the investment.[2]

The opening ceremony of Kukës International Airport took place on 18 April 2021.[8] To commemorate the occasion, Air Albania Flight 9003 arrived from London Stansted Airport after making a short stopover at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, as the airport had not been approved for international flights at the time.[8] On 9 July 2021, the first ever international commercial flight landed at Kukës Airport when Helvetic Airways Flight 8174 arrived from Zurich Airport.[9]

Facilities

The airport can accommodate small to medium-sized aircraft. The apron offers parking spots for up to three aircraft and the terminal is equipped to handle up to 500,000 passengers annually.[10]

Airlines and destinations

The following airline operates regular scheduled and charter flights at Kukës Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
Air Albania Seasonal: Basel/Mulhouse[11]

Statistics
Year Passengers Change Aircraft movements Change
2021 4,742[12][13] Steady 85[14] Steady
2022 39,752[15][16] Increase 738.3% 545 Increase 541%

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ^
    The beginnings of Kukës International Airport date back to 20 April 1929 when it opened for the first time as a domestic airfield offering air connection between Tirana and Kukës via Peshkopi. The service was operational for 15 years until the communist regime did not see fit to allow it to function as a civil airfield and turned it into a military airfield.[4] then after the fall of the communist regime there were attempts to reopen as international airport it but without success until 2021, when on 18 April the opening ceremony took place,[8] and on 9 July the first-ever international commercial flight took place and this date is officially considered as the opening date of this airport.[9]

References
  1. "Kukës International Airport runways @ OurAirports". OurAirports.com.
  2. "Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar Zayed-Flatrat e Veriut, Kukës/Pamjet para fluturimit të parë më 18 prill" [Zayed-North Wings International Airport, Kukës/Footage before the first flight on April 18th] (in Albanian). Albanian Telegraphic Agency. 8 April 2021.
  3. "Progonati: Aeroporti i Kukësit 100% operacional, është projektuar low cost" [Progonati: Kukës Airport is 100% operational, it is designed low cost] (in Albanian). Albanian Telegraphic Agency. 18 April 2021.
  4. "Aeroporti i Kukësit: Një dhuratë apo një bela..." [Kukes Airport: A gift or a mess...]. Albanian News Archive (in Albanian). 1 November 2008.
  5. Dannreuther, Roland (2001). "Perceptions in the Middle East". In Buckley, Mary; Cummings, Sally (eds.). Kosovo: Perceptions of War and Its Aftermath. A&C Black. pp. 208–209. ISBN 9780826456694.
  6. "Kukës Airport" (in Albanian). Albanian Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  7. "Albanians Get to Fly from Second Airport". Balkan Insight. 1 April 2016.
  8. "Albania opens Kukës International Airport". Kukës International Airport. 18 April 2021.
  9. "Helvetic Airlines ulet nga Zürich për herë të parë në Aeroportin Ndërkombëtar të Kukësit" [Helvetic Airlines lands from Zürich for the first time at Kukës International Airport] (in Albanian). Kukës International Airport. 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  10. "Albania: Airport opens at former site of war refugee camp". Associated Press. 18 April 2021.
  11. "As from 29 March 2022 new connection to Kukës (Albania) with Air Albania". EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. 21 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  12. "Statistikat e transportit" (PDF). INSTAT. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  13. "Route Report 2021" (PDF). Tirana International Airport.
  14. "Balluku: Aeroporti i Kukësit kushte sigurie sipas BE-së dhe NATO-s, në maj operim i pandërprerë" [Balluku: Kukës Airport security conditions according to EU and NATO, in May uninterrupted operation] (in Albanian). Albanian Telegraphic Agency. 5 February 2022.
  15. "Route Report 2022" (PDF). tirana-airport. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  16. "Statistikat e transportit" (PDF). INSTAT. Retrieved 27 January 2023.

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