Wikipedia

Visakhapatnam Airport

This article is about the current operational airport. For the upcoming airport in the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region, seeAlluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.

Visakhapatnam Airport[5](IATA:VTZ,ICAO:VOVZ), officially known asVisakhapatnam International Airport,is acustoms airportinVisakhapatnam,Andhra Pradesh,India.It also operates as acivil enclaveon theIndian Navyairbase,INSDega.It lies between the city localities ofNAD X RoadandGajuwaka.The airport covers an area of 350 acres. The airport has experienced significant growth since the beginning of the 21st century, with the construction of a new terminal and runway and the commencing of international flights.

Visakhapatnam Airport
Visakhapatnam airport front view.
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/public
OwnerIndian Navy
Operator
ServesVisakhapatnam
LocationVisakhapatnam,Andhra Pradesh,India
ElevationAMSL3 m / 10 ft
Coordinates17°43′16″N083°13′28″E/ 17.72111°N 83.22444°E/17.72111; 83.22444
WebsiteVishakhapatnam Airport
Map
VTZ is located in Visakhapatnam
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ is located in Andhra Pradesh
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ is located in India
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ is located in Asia
VTZ
VTZ
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 3,050 10,007 Asphalt[1]
05/23 1,829 6,000 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 – March 2024)
Passengers2,788,665 (Increase11.5%)
Aircraft movements20,071 (Decrease4.2%)
Cargo tonnage4,032 (Decrease9.1%)

History

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Terminal view of the airport
Full view of the airport
Side view of the airport

In 1981, the airport commenced civilian operations with one flight per day. The original runway was 6,000 ft (1,800 m) long. A new 10,007 ft (3,050 m) long and 45 m (148 ft) wide runway was inaugurated on 15 June 2007 to accommodate medium-sized and wide-body aircraft, with the installation and calibration of aninstrument landing system(ILS) on Runway 28 as well. Used initially only for military operations from 16 June 2007, the ILS became operational for commercial aircraft from 30 March 2008. A new terminal building was inaugurated on 20 February 2009 and became operational on 27 March that year.[6][7]

On 17 November 2011, theICAO airport codewas changed from VEVZ to VOVZ.[8]

In September 2022, the Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) andIndian Navyofficials have signed aMoUinNew Delhito move the civilian operations of Visakhapatnam Airport to the newBhogapuramfacility. The existing Visakhapatnam Airport is spread across 300 acres, out of which 170 acres will be handed over to theIndian Navyand the remaining 130 acres toAirport Authority of India(AAI) as per the MoU rules.[9]Before the new airport gets completed at least by 2025, a new terminal has been proposed by the AAI, which will be built at a cost of ₹ 240 crore, and will have four additional parking bays as part of a new apron. The new terminal is a part of the next five-year plan of the airport.[10]

Facilities

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Structure

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The passenger terminal can handle 700 arriving and 1300 departing passengers. It covers an area of 31,400 square meters. The airport has a total of 18 parking bays.[1]

Runways

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The airport has two runways.[1]

  • Runway 10/28: 3,050 by 45 metres (10,007 ft × 148 ft),ILSCAT-1 equipped in Runway 28
  • Runway 05/23: 1,829 by 45 metres (6,001 ft × 148 ft)

Terminals

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The passenger terminal was opened in 2009 and can handle 2 million passengers per annum. After seeing a greater number of passengers, AAI started upgrading the present terminal on either side, adding 10,000 m2(110,000 sq ft) to the existing structure, making the total area 31,000 m2(330,000 sq ft). The terminal has 20 check-in counters, which include 11 immigration and nine customs counters. The terminal has three aero-bridges.[1]There are plans to increase services, check-in counters, immigration counters, and parking bays at the present terminal. A new taxiway numbered N5 was opened to increase flight movements per hour to 15.

Airlines and destinations

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Apron area of the airport
AirlinesDestinations
AirAsiaKuala Lumpur–International[11]
Air IndiaDelhi,Mumbai,Port Blair
Air India ExpressBengaluru,Hyderabad,Vijayawada[12]
IndiaOne AirJeypore
IndiGoBengaluru,Chennai,Delhi,Hyderabad,Kolkata,Kurnool,Mumbai,Tirupati,Vijayawada
ScootSingapore
Thai AirAsiaBangkok–Don Mueang

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at VTZ airport. SeeWikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic and aircraft movements at Visakhapatnam Airport
Year Passenger traffic Aircraft movement
Passengers Percent change Aircraft movements Percent change
2018 2,815,205[13] +16.8% 23,264[14] +21.2%
2017 2,409,712[15] +5.8% 19,193[16] +1.0%
2016 2,277,335[15] +44.4% 19,007[16] +23.7%
2015 1,577,497[17] +49.4% 15,361[18] +42.2%
2014 1,056,096[17] +5.9% 10,804[18] −8.8%
2013 1,025,396[19] −1.8% 11,846[20] −25.5%
2012 1,044,906[19] +19.0% 15,896[20] +10.6%
2011 878,000[21] +29.4% 14,367[22] +25.9%
2010 678,255[21] +8.4% 11,413[22] −5.8%
2009 625,767[23] 12,115[24]

INSDeganaval base

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This section is an excerpt fromINS Dega § History.[edit]

The Indian Navy started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in when the321 Helicopter Flightwas based at INS Circars in Visakhapatnam on 23 December 1972. In 1976, four helipads along with hangars were set up adjacent to the civil airfield. On 12 March 1986, the civilian Visakhapatnam Airport was transferred from theNational Airport Authority of India(now, Airports Authority of India) to the Indian Navy. The air station was then designated as Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam. The 321ChetakFlight was initially based in the Air Base along with other shipborne flights. Additional hangars, maintenance facilities and an operations complex were constructed soon after.

On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INSDegaby thenVice AdmiralLaxminarayan Ramdas.It is named for theTelugu languageword for a big and powerful bird of the eagle family.[25][26]

The base has two aprons and is home to several squadrons:INAS 551,INAS 311,INAS 321,INAS 333,andINAS 350.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcd"Visakhapatnam Airport".
  2. ^"Annexure III – Passenger Data"(PDF).aai.aero.Retrieved21 April2024.
  3. ^"Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data"(PDF).aai.aero.Retrieved21 April2024.
  4. ^"Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data"(PDF).aai.aero.Retrieved21 April2024.
  5. ^"Visakhapatnam Airport".Airports Authority of India.Retrieved22 June2022.
  6. ^"INS Dega".Indian Navy. Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2014.Retrieved5 July2013.
  7. ^"Vizag airport terminal to be inaugurated on Feb 20".The Business Line.Retrieved23 January2012.
  8. ^ICAO code changed from VEVZ to VOVZ, 17 Nov 2011
  9. ^"Bhogapuram Airport to start soon".Eenadu.5 September 2022.Retrieved28 September2022.
  10. ^"Proposal sent for construction of new terminal building with ₹240 crore at Vizag Airport".The Hindu.19 March 2023.Retrieved23 March2023.
  11. ^"AirAsia set to resume flights to Visakhapatnam, India in April".31 January 2024.
  12. ^"Vizag to Vijayawada Flights".
  13. ^"Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure III"(PDF).Airports Authority of India. p. 3.Retrieved27 January2019.
  14. ^"Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure II"(PDF).Airports Authority of India. p. 3.Retrieved27 January2019.
  15. ^ab"Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure III"(PDF).Airports Authority of India. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 February 2018.Retrieved1 March2018.
  16. ^ab"Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure II"(PDF).Airports Authority of India. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 February 2018.Retrieved1 March2018.
  17. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure III(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3.Retrieved4 April2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure II(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  19. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure III(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  20. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure II(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  21. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure III(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  22. ^abTraffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure II(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  23. ^Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure III(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  24. ^Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure II(PDF).Airports Authority of India(Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2018.Retrieved4 April2016.
  25. ^"INS Dega".Indian Navy. Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2014.Retrieved5 July2013.
  26. ^"Indian Naval Ship Dega".www.facebook.com.12 October 2021.Retrieved18 October2024.
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