Heraklion International Airport

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The Heraklion airport " Nikos Kazantzakis " (IATA: HER, ICAO code: LGIR; well Heraklion International Airport " Nikos Kazantzakis "; Greek Kratikos Aerolimenas " Nikos Kazantzakis " Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Ηρακλείου " Νίκος Καζαντζάκης " ) is the main airport of the Greek island of Crete and was completed in 1937. Terms of passenger traffic it is after the Athens Airport is the second largest airport in Greece. It is named after the writer and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis, who was born in 1883 in Heraklion.

The airport is located about three kilometers east of the Heraklion city center on the territory of the municipality of Heraklion, near the harbor.

History

The airport was opened in March 1939. The state-owned airline HEES flew daily from Athens with aircraft of type Ju - 52.

In the period of the Second World War rested civilian use. Combat aircraft of teaching Squadron 1 and the Battle Squadron 77 took the base in the eastern Mediterranean to attacks on ships that carry North African ports and the Suez Canal.

With the opening of the 1850 meter long runway 09/27 for the first time were also larger aircraft to land in Heraklion and Olympic Airways established a 1954 direct flights. To meet the increasing numbers of passengers, in 1971 a new terminal was opened. The building was expanded continuously and in spite of comprehensive measures to expand the airport since the late 1980s, the terminal is the high Passagierstömen in the summer months until today hardly do justice. In addition, other parking positions were established and renewed the existing runway. 15 parking positions allow the handling of larger aircraft to Boeing 747 or McDonnell Douglas DC- 10th Since 1987, Iraklion has its passenger numbers by 1998 almost doubled from 2,399,888 to 4,188,743 and is now at about 5,000,000 guests handled.

For most planes taking off, it was necessary until at least 2007, to roll a piece of the runway to the start position. This reduced the capacity of possible movements sensitive. Only in recent years, the parallel taxiway was completed.

Special

In general, the landing approach to runway 27 in western direction. It has three starting and landing strips, two of which are still in operation. Due to the location of the airport there is the landing approach to runway 27 often crosswinds ( Crosswinds ) from northern and north-western directions. For noise reduction, a right turn to bypass the city center of Heraklion is flown after the start in the same direction.

Furthermore, the airport has only external positions without air bridges and despite its high number of aircraft movements has not been the Heraklion airport with an instrument landing system.

Destinations

A large number of European charter, line and low cost airlines fly especially during the summer season at the airport.

As the largest Greek airlines Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air also offer winter flight schedule at connections to Heraklion. In the summer season there are scheduled flights to Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes.

Mushrooms come in the last few years Russian airlines such as Aeroflot and Transaero to Heraklion. There is also an air force squadron of the Greek military.

Accidents and incidents

To date, no accidents are known in which it came to the Heraklion airport to violate or human lives would have demanded. Only minor incidents without injury to persons is known.

• On 25 June 2011, a Boeing 737-800 of the Hungarian airline Malev had after putting ground contact ( Tailstrike ) in the area of the rear and suffered damage.

New airport

In Kastelli, a new airport, which after its completion (planned in 2015 ) to replace the Nikos Kazantzakis Airport. The tender of the airport construction was announced for April 2014. The new airport is expected to cost between 700 and € 800 million and will be leased for 35 years to the edifying company.