Zielona Góra Airport
Encyclopedia
Zielona Góra-Babimost Airport is a regional airport
located within the greater Zielona Góra
agglomeration (the so-called Lubusian Tri-city) in western Poland
. It lies 10 km (6.2 mi) from Sulechów
, or 35 km (21.7 mi) northwest of the Zielona Góra city centre.
The airport is the 11th busiest in Poland, or last among currently functioning with scheduled traffic. It has recently been taken over from the Polish Army by the regional authorities, but it is run by the state enterprise Porty Lotnicze (PPL), the operator of Warsaw's airport.
The airport is situated in the village of Kramsko, near the town of Babimost
, 95 km (59 mi) west of Poznań
(population 581,000), 90 km (55.9 mi) east from the German
border, and 170 km (105.6 mi) from the center of Berlin
.
The airport's catchment area consists of 3 million inhabitants of the Lubusz Land
and western Greater Poland
(Wielkopolska).
Land connections to Poznań
(the largest city in the area) use the newly opened motorway (its junction lies 21 km (13 mi) northeast of the airport terminal), as well as the newly renovated railway line (Zbąszynek
, an important rail terminus for the regional trains from Poznań, lies 10 km (6.2 mi) from the airport).
. The airport operated passenger traffic (2 connections daily) between Warsaw and Zielona Góra until September 2004, when, after 33 years of service, the state-owned Polish Airlines LOT
discontinued the route, following ownership changes at the airport: The army stopped using it as its military base and dismantled some of its equipment.
After the army left the airport in 2004, the property was rented to the regional authorities in 2005, so that the airport new owner could start developing the airport. Massive shifts in the Polish airline market caused financial problems for the former monopolist state-owned carrier LOT, resulting in suspension of the Warsaw service, because LOT could not find suitable mid-sized aircraft for this route.
Recently this has changed, and since the end of 2005, two daily flights to Warsaw were operated by Jet Air
for LOT, later reduced to one. As of 2008 Jet Air is the second airline serving the airport, without any ties to LOT. The local government subsidizes these flights so that they may take place at all.
The idea of attracting international traffic, in the form of cargo flights, for the region of western Wielkopolska and Lubusz Land has resulted in a signed agreement between the local government and the management, but nothing concrete came of that yet.
s and apron
s, and has a good quality concrete runway 2500 metre. It is specified as PCN 45/R/B/W/T.
There's a medium-sized passenger terminal. The airport can handle up to 10 B-737 on its taxiways and aprons (apron size: 569 metre).
The airport possesses a passenger terminal of a modest capacity of 150,000 passengers yearly.
There exists a railroad spur next to the terminal that can be used for passenger service. Alternatively, it has been proposed that a train station be put on the well-frequented electrified rail line connecting Zielona Góra with Poznań, that passes only 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) from the terminal. Under that scenario, the trip to downtown Poznań would take less than an hour.
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 within the greater Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties ....
agglomeration (the so-called Lubusian Tri-city) in western Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It lies 10 km (6.2 mi) from Sulechów
Sulechów
Sulechów is a town in Poland, in Lubusz Voivodeship, in Zielona Góra County. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Sulechów.-History:The area by 990 had been conquered by Duke Mieszko I of Poland and from 1138 was part of the Duchy of Silesia....
, or 35 km (21.7 mi) northwest of the Zielona Góra city centre.
The airport is the 11th busiest in Poland, or last among currently functioning with scheduled traffic. It has recently been taken over from the Polish Army by the regional authorities, but it is run by the state enterprise Porty Lotnicze (PPL), the operator of Warsaw's airport.
The airport is situated in the village of Kramsko, near the town of Babimost
Babimost
Babimost is a small town in Poland in the Lubusz Voivodeship, Zielona Gora County.Area: 3,6 km², Population: 4,300 , City rights: 1397...
, 95 km (59 mi) west of Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
(population 581,000), 90 km (55.9 mi) east from the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
border, and 170 km (105.6 mi) from the center of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
The airport's catchment area consists of 3 million inhabitants of the Lubusz Land
Lubusz Land
Lubusz Land is a historical region and cultural landscape in Poland and Germany, on both sides of the Oder river.Originally the settlement area of the West Slavic Leubuzzi, a Veleti tribe, the swampy area was located east of Mark Brandenburg and west of Greater Poland, south of Pomerania and north...
and western Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
(Wielkopolska).
Land connections to Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
(the largest city in the area) use the newly opened motorway (its junction lies 21 km (13 mi) northeast of the airport terminal), as well as the newly renovated railway line (Zbąszynek
Zbaszynek
Zbąszynek is a town in western Poland, in Lubusz Voivodeship, in Świebodzin County. It has 5,185 inhabitants .-History:The town was founded in the 1920s, when, as a result of the Greater Poland Uprising as well as the Treaty of Versailles, the railroad hub of Zbaszyn became part of newly...
, an important rail terminus for the regional trains from Poznań, lies 10 km (6.2 mi) from the airport).
History
The airport is a former military base. It has a record of serving domestic traffic to and from WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. The airport operated passenger traffic (2 connections daily) between Warsaw and Zielona Góra until September 2004, when, after 33 years of service, the state-owned Polish Airlines LOT
LOT Polish Airlines
Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. , trading as LOT Polish Airlines, is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe,...
discontinued the route, following ownership changes at the airport: The army stopped using it as its military base and dismantled some of its equipment.
After the army left the airport in 2004, the property was rented to the regional authorities in 2005, so that the airport new owner could start developing the airport. Massive shifts in the Polish airline market caused financial problems for the former monopolist state-owned carrier LOT, resulting in suspension of the Warsaw service, because LOT could not find suitable mid-sized aircraft for this route.
Recently this has changed, and since the end of 2005, two daily flights to Warsaw were operated by Jet Air
Jet Air
Jet Air Sp. z o.o. is a Polish air operator that provides leasing services as well as a branded operation on domestic and intra-European flights.-History:...
for LOT, later reduced to one. As of 2008 Jet Air is the second airline serving the airport, without any ties to LOT. The local government subsidizes these flights so that they may take place at all.
The idea of attracting international traffic, in the form of cargo flights, for the region of western Wielkopolska and Lubusz Land has resulted in a signed agreement between the local government and the management, but nothing concrete came of that yet.
Airport infrastructure
The post-military airport ranks second in Poland in terms of its infrastructure surface, such as taxiwayTaxiway
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 apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
s, and has a good quality concrete runway 2500 metre. It is specified as PCN 45/R/B/W/T.
There's a medium-sized passenger terminal. The airport can handle up to 10 B-737 on its taxiways and aprons (apron size: 569 metre).
The airport possesses a passenger terminal of a modest capacity of 150,000 passengers yearly.
There exists a railroad spur next to the terminal that can be used for passenger service. Alternatively, it has been proposed that a train station be put on the well-frequented electrified rail line connecting Zielona Góra with Poznań, that passes only 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) from the terminal. Under that scenario, the trip to downtown Poznań would take less than an hour.
Statistics
| Year | Passengers | Cargo in ton Ton The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from... s |
Takoffs/Landings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 198 | 0 | 100 |
| 2000 | 207 | 0 | 36 |
| 2001 | 5624 | 0 | 615 |
| 2002 | 7598 | 0 | 681 |
| 2003 | 7813 | 0 | 1237 |
| 2004 | 3949 | 0 | 400 |
| 2005 | 427 | 0 | 163 |
| 2006 | 8316 | 0 | 1107 |
| 2007 | 6739 | 0 | 714 |
- Sources
- 2004-2006: