Varna Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Varna International Airport
nativename =
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IATA = VAR
ICAO = LBWN
type = Public
owner =
operator = Varna Airport ltd.
city-served =
location = Varna
elevation-f = 230
elevation-m = 70
coordinates = Coord|43|13|55|N|27|49|30|E|type:airport
website = [http://www.varna-airport.bg www.varna-airport.bg]
metric-elev = yes
metric-rwy = yes
r1-number = 09/27
r1-length-f = 8,202
r1-length-m = 2,500
r1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
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Varna International Airport airport codes|VAR|LBWN is the airport of Varna, the "maritime capital" of Bulgaria.

In 2007, the airport handled 1,493,267 passengers and 14,969 aircraft movements [ Fraport Traffic figures for 2007 http://www.fraport.com/cms/investor_relations/dok/273/273791.traffic_figures_fraport_groupe_2007.htm] .

History

The history of the airport dates back to 1916 when two sheds for the first hydro-port in Bulgaria were built in the Peinerdzhik area (present-day "Chaika" residential area). Irregular mail-plane service from Sofia to Varna was held between 1919 and 1920 and it was not until 1947 that a permanent airline between the two cities was established. What had grown into Tihina Airport was situated west of the present-day Asparukhovo Bridge and was indeed quite primitive for the demands of a modern city. Thus in 1946 a decision was made and a new airport was constructed several kilometres west of the city, near the village (now town) of Aksakovo, with local people enthusiastically working on the site together with the constructors. Construction and improvement continued throughout the years, with a new terminal erected in 1972 and a new runaway in 1974.

Future plans and expansion

Currently, Varna International Airport is subject to heavy traffic following the growing tourism industry in Bulgaria and is in need of major investments to modernize, expand and handle projected passenger traffic. In June, 2006 the Bulgarian Government awarded "Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide" a 35 year long concession on both Varna and Burgas airports in return for investments exceeding €500 million, including a new passenger terminal by 2008.

Airlines and destinations ("Regular")

*Austrian Airlines
**Austrian Arrows operated by Tyrolean Airways (Vienna)
*British Airways (London-Gatwick)
*Bulgaria Air (Bourgas, London-Gatwick, Sofia, Vienna)
*Malév Hungarian Airlines (Budapest)
*South Airlines (Odessa)
*Wizz Air Bulgaria (Sofia)

Airlines and destinations ("Summer only")

*Airberlin (Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf)
*Germanwings (Berlin-Schönefeld, Cologne/Bonn)
*Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo)
*SkyEurope (Bratislava, Prague, Vienna)
*Sterling Airlines (Copenhagen)
*Wizz Air (Budapest)

Charter airlines

*Air Via (Berlin-Schönefeld, Berlin-Tegel, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig/Halle, Stuttgart)
*Aerosvit Airlines (Kiev-Boryspil)
*Arke Fly (Amsterdam)
*Atlant-Soyuz Airlines (Moscow-Vnukovo)
*BH Air (Birmingham, Bristol, London-Gatwick, Manchester)
*Bulgarian Air Charter (Berlin-Schönefeld, Berlin-Tegel, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig/Halle, Stuttgart)
*Continental Airways (Moscow-Sheremetyevo)
*East Line Airlines (Moscow-Domodedovo)
*Euroline (Kutaisi)
*Finnair (Helsinki-Vantaa)
*First Choice Airways (Birmingham, London-Gatwick, Manchester)
*Hamburg International (Dresden, Leipzig/Halle)
*Jet2 (London)
*Kish Air (Tehran)
*Luxair (Luxembourg)
*Novair (Stockholm)
*Rossiya (St. Petersburg)
*S7 Airlines (Moscow-Domodedovo)
*Thomas Cook Airlines (Belgium) (Brussels)
*Thomas Cook Airlines (Birmingham, Bristol, London-Gatwick, Manchester)
*Transavia.com (Amsterdam)
*Jetairfly (Brussels)

References

External links

* [http://www.varna-airport.bg/ Varna Airport Homepage]
* [http://varna.info.bg/english/airport_en.htm History of Varna Airport]