New Chitose Airport
Encyclopedia
, is an airport
located 2.7 NM south southeast of Chitose
and Tomakomai
, Hokkaidō
, Japan
, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō.
The airport has a semicircular domestic terminal (similar in design to the terminals at DFW Airport
) with eighteen gates, and a smaller international terminal with six gates.
As of 2005, New Chitose Airport was the third busiest airport in Japan (behind Narita
and Haneda
) and ranked #64 in the world in terms of passengers carried. The 894 km New Chitose - Tokyo Haneda route is the busiest air route in Japan, with 8.8 million passengers carried (out of 13.2 million seats available) in 2010.
base which houses F-15 Eagle
fighter jets, the Japanese Air Force One
government aircraft and a number of smaller emergency response aircraft and helicopters. Chitose and New Chitose have separate runway
s but are interconnected by taxiway
s, and aircraft at either facility can enter the other by ground if permitted; the runways at Chitose are occasionally used to relieve runway closures at New Chitose due to winter weather. JASDF provides air traffic control
for both facilities.
The airport's IATA airport code
was originally SPK. This code was later adopted as a city code to refer to both New Chitose and the smaller Okadama Airport
in central Sapporo, which handles commuter flights within Hokkaido
.
New Chitose became Japan's first 24-hour airport in 1994. Services between 10 PM and 7 AM are currently limited to six flights per day due to noise alleviation concerns. Four of these slots are currently used by passenger flights to Tokyo while the other two are used by cargo flights.
Along with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport
in Russia
, it is one of the closest Asian airports to North America along the great circle
route used by transpacific flights, and is therefore an ideal refueling stop for many heavy cargo flights between Asia and North America.
New Chitose previously had long-haul service to Amsterdam (KLM, 1997–2002), Cairns
(Qantas
, 1992–1998 and 2004–2007) and Honolulu
(JALWays
, 1992–2003). Today, its services to Europe have ceased, while its international services are mainly transporting tourists from East Asia
and Australia
for sightseeing and skiing
. The area surrounding gates 0 through 2, on the north end of the main terminal, was a sterile area for international flights until the international terminal opened for service on March 26, 2010.
The airport was upgraded with additional private aircraft handling facilities for the 34th G8 summit
, held in Hokkaido in 2008.
, the hotelcom's New Chitose Airport.
China Airlines
operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.
The airline Hokkaido Air System
was at one time headquartered in the New Chitose airport terminal. Now its head office is on the property of Okadama Airport
in Higashi-ku
, Sapporo.
is located on a spur off the Chitose Line
of Hokkaido Railway Company
(JR Hokkaido). Rapid service trains operate to and from Sapporo Station
, taking 36–39 minutes and costing ¥1,040.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 2.7 NM south southeast of Chitose
Chitose, Hokkaido
-Economy:China Airlines operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.The airline Hokkaido Air System was at one time headquartered at the New Chitose Airport in Chitose...
and Tomakomai
Tomakomai, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaido, Japan. Though its name implies a small, idyllic town, it is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 173,504 and a population density of 310 persons per km²...
, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō.
The airport has a semicircular domestic terminal (similar in design to the terminals at DFW Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
) with eighteen gates, and a smaller international terminal with six gates.
As of 2005, New Chitose Airport was the third busiest airport in Japan (behind Narita
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
and Haneda
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
) and ranked #64 in the world in terms of passengers carried. The 894 km New Chitose - Tokyo Haneda route is the busiest air route in Japan, with 8.8 million passengers carried (out of 13.2 million seats available) in 2010.
History
New Chitose opened in 1991 to replace the adjacent Chitose Airport, a joint-use facility which had served passenger flights since 1963. Chitose Airport became a dedicated Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense Force
The , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
base which houses F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
fighter jets, the Japanese Air Force One
Japanese Air Force One
Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two are the radio callsigns of the two Boeing 747 aircraft used by the government of Japan for overseas travel by the Emperor, Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials...
government aircraft and a number of smaller emergency response aircraft and helicopters. Chitose and New Chitose have separate runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s but are interconnected by taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
s, and aircraft at either facility can enter the other by ground if permitted; the runways at Chitose are occasionally used to relieve runway closures at New Chitose due to winter weather. JASDF provides air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
for both facilities.
The airport's IATA airport code
IATA airport code
An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...
was originally SPK. This code was later adopted as a city code to refer to both New Chitose and the smaller Okadama Airport
Okadama Airport
is an airport located in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, north of the city center of Sapporo. Its scheduled airline service is limited to turboprop flights to other cities in Hokkaidō: larger aircraft use New Chitose Airport, south of the city...
in central Sapporo, which handles commuter flights within Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
.
New Chitose became Japan's first 24-hour airport in 1994. Services between 10 PM and 7 AM are currently limited to six flights per day due to noise alleviation concerns. Four of these slots are currently used by passenger flights to Tokyo while the other two are used by cargo flights.
Along with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport is an airport in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the Russian island of Sakhalin. The airport was established in 1945 as a military airfield...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, it is one of the closest Asian airports to North America along the great circle
Great circle
A great circle, also known as a Riemannian circle, of a sphere is the intersection of the sphere and a plane which passes through the center point of the sphere, as opposed to a general circle of a sphere where the plane is not required to pass through the center...
route used by transpacific flights, and is therefore an ideal refueling stop for many heavy cargo flights between Asia and North America.
New Chitose previously had long-haul service to Amsterdam (KLM, 1997–2002), Cairns
Cairns International Airport
Cairns Airport is an international airport in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Formerly operated by the Cairns Port Authority, the airport was sold by the Queensland Government in December 2008 to a private consortium. It is the seventh busiest airport in Australia. The airport is located north of...
(Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
, 1992–1998 and 2004–2007) and Honolulu
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
(JALWays
JALways
, formerly , was an international airline registered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters on the third floor of the at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture and its main hub at Narita International Airport. The airline had a secondary hub at Osaka's Kansai...
, 1992–2003). Today, its services to Europe have ceased, while its international services are mainly transporting tourists from East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for sightseeing and skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
. The area surrounding gates 0 through 2, on the north end of the main terminal, was a sterile area for international flights until the international terminal opened for service on March 26, 2010.
The airport was upgraded with additional private aircraft handling facilities for the 34th G8 summit
34th G8 summit
The 34th G8 summit took place in on the northern island of Hokkaidō, Japan from July 7–9, 2008. The locations of previous summits to have been hosted by Japan include: Tokyo ; and Nago, Okinawa . The G8 Summit has evolved beyond being a gathering of world political leaders...
, held in Hokkaido in 2008.
Airlines and destinations
Operating hours for international flights at CTS are restricted by the Japanese government in order to avoid interference with JASDF operations at the adjacent air base. As of January 8, 2010, international flights are permitted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 4 pm, and from 5 pm on Friday through 11:59 pm on Sunday.Other facilities
The domestic terminal contains a 188-room hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, the hotelcom's New Chitose Airport.
China Airlines
China Airlines
China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.
The airline Hokkaido Air System
Hokkaido Air System
, or HAC, is an airline with its headquarters on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo. It operates scheduled domestic services in Hokkaidō. Its main base of operations is Okadama Airport.- History :...
was at one time headquartered in the New Chitose airport terminal. Now its head office is on the property of Okadama Airport
Okadama Airport
is an airport located in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, north of the city center of Sapporo. Its scheduled airline service is limited to turboprop flights to other cities in Hokkaidō: larger aircraft use New Chitose Airport, south of the city...
in Higashi-ku
Higashi-ku, Sapporo
is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is directly translated as "east ward", and is neighboured to Kita-ku, Chūō-ku, Shiroishi-ku, Ebetsu, Tōbetsu.- Overview :...
, Sapporo.
Rail
New Chitose Airport StationNew Chitose Airport Station
is a railway station of JR Hokkaido. It is located beneath the terminal building of New Chitose Airport in Chitose, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Layout:Underground station with one island platform serving two tracks.Platforms- Adjacent stations :Hokkaido Railway Company...
is located on a spur off the Chitose Line
Chitose Line
is a railway line in Hokkaidō operated by JR Hokkaidō, between Numanohata, Tomakomai and Shiroishi Station, Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo, linking Muroran Main Line and Hakodate Main Line. There also is a branch line to New Chitose Airport.-Basic Data:...
of Hokkaido Railway Company
Hokkaido Railway Company
The is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008....
(JR Hokkaido). Rapid service trains operate to and from Sapporo Station
Sapporo Station
is a train station located in Kita-ku and Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is served by Hakodate Main Line and other lines of Hokkaido Railway Company , and is also connected to the Sapporo Subway. The JR Hokkaido part is in Kita-ku while the Sapporo Subway part is in Chūō-ku.Sapporo Station...
, taking 36–39 minutes and costing ¥1,040.
Bus
- Hokkaidō Chūō Bus/Hokuto Kotsu joint service (Sapporo 4 trips/hr., Oyachi 4 trips/hr.)
- Hokkaidō Chūō Bus (Asabu 1–2 trips/hr., Miyanosawa 1–2 trips/hr.)
- Hokuto Kotsu (Apa Hotel & Resort 2 trips/hr., Maruyama Park hourly)
- Donan Bus (Tomakomai 1–2 trips/hr., Noboribetsu 3 trips/day, Muroran 12 trips/day, Hobetsu 2 trips/day, Urakawa 2 trips/day)
- Atsuma Bus (Atsuma 3 trips/day)