Sharjah International Airport (Arabic: مطار الشارقة, romanized: Maṭār aš-Šāriqa) (IATA: SHJ, ICAO: OMSJ) is an international airport located 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi)[1] east-southeast of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It is spread over an area of 15,200,000 m2 (3,800 acres).[3] It has one runway, and is the only airport in Sharjah capable of international flights as of 2022. By 2027 it is expected to increase its capacity to 25 million passengers annually.[4]
Sharjah International Airport مطار الشارقة | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public / military | ||||||||||
Operator | Sharjah Airport | ||||||||||
Serves | |||||||||||
Location | Sharjah | ||||||||||
Operating base for | Air Arabia | ||||||||||
Time zone | UAE Standard Time (UTC+04:00) | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 116 ft / 35 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 25°19′45″N 055°30′58″E / 25.32917°N 55.51611°E | ||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Overview
editSharjah International Airport is the third largest Middle East air freight hub in cargo tonnage, according to official 2015 statistics from Airports Council International. Ground services company, Sharjah Aviation Services, handled 586,195 tonnes in 2015 – a 16.1% increase year on year.[5] It has one passenger terminal with an area of 125,000 m2 (1,350,000 sq ft).[5]
Sharjah International Airport is home base of the low-cost carrier Air Arabia. The headquarters of Air Arabia is in the Sharjah Freight Center,[6] on the property of the airport[7] in Sharjah, UAE.[6] The center is an old cargo terminal.
It replaced RAF Sharjah, which was closer to the city and was opened in 1932. It was the first airport in UAE and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, for use by Imperial Airways, and was subsequently used by the RAF until 14 December 1971.[8] The reason for the move was development pressure from the city of Sharjah. The old terminal and tower building is now Al Mahatta Museum.[9] The old airport's runway is now part of King Abdul Aziz Street in the city centre.[10][11][12]
The airport was used by the United States Air Force 926th Tactical Fighter Group during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.[13] Approximately 450 members of the unit were stationed at the airport, which flew A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft during the conflict in late 1990 and early 1991.[14]
Facilities
editThe airport is at an elevation of 116 feet (35 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 12/30 with an asphalt surface measuring 4,060 m × 60 m (13,320 ft × 197 ft).[1][15]
Founded in 1985, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency is owned by the Sharjah Airport Authority, Government of Sharjah and has 14 branches in the UAE, including one on the first floor of the main terminal at Sharjah Airport.[16]
There are two prayer rooms available, one in the transit area of the Arrivals Terminal and the other on the ground floor of the Departures Terminal. There are mosques in both the East and West Cargo Terminals 3 and 4.
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
editThe following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Sharjah:[17]
Cargo
editStatistics
editYear | Total passengers | Total cargo | Total aircraft movements |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | 1,001,852 | 580,550 | 27,577 |
2000 | 948,207 | 475,122 | 25,997 |
2001 | 861,478 | 415,587 | 24,431 |
2002 | 1,028,624 | 497,010 | 24,803 |
2003 | 1,247,458 | 507,644 | 28,017 |
2004 | 1,661,941 | 500,927 | 32,334 |
2005 | 2,237,646 | 505,392 | 38,699 |
2006 | 3,064,396 | 569,511 | 44,182 |
2007 | 4,324,313 | 570,363 | 51,314 |
2008 | 5,280,445 | 586,677 | 60,813 |
2009 | 5,764,098 | 501,824 | 61,451 |
2011 | 6,600,000 | 417,116 | 63,737 |
2012 | 7,516,538 | 475,116 | 65,975 |
2013 | 8,505,268 | 493,402 | 66,247 |
2014 | 9,516,600 | 528,250 | 70,559 |
2015 | 11,993,887 | 586,195 | 98,786 |
Accidents and incidents
edit- On 15 December 1997, a Tupolev Tu-154 from Tajikistan Airlines Flight 3183 crashed on approach to SHJ. Some 13 km from Sharjah the plane ran into terrain and 85 of the 86 occupants died. One of the seven crew members survived the disaster.[64]
- On 10 February 2004, Kish Air Flight 7170, operated by a Fokker 50 crashed on approach, killing 43 of its 46 occupants, which consisted of 3 crew and 40 passengers.[65][66]
- On 7 November 2004, an Air Atlanta Boeing 747 freighter was damaged beyond repair due to an aborted take-off with insufficient runway remaining. None of the four crew was injured. The take-off was aborted after a report of smoke from the control tower and hearing a loud bang in the cockpit.[67]
- On 21 October 2009, Azza Transport Flight 2241, operated by a Boeing 707–320, crashed on take-off. The flight was carrying cargo only and all six crew members were killed.[68][69]
See also
edit- Mahatta Fort, the previous site of the airport
- List of the busiest airports in the Middle East
References
editThis article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ a b c United Arab Emirates AIP Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine (login required)
- ^ a b "Airport Statistics". Sharjah Airport. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Information for Prospective Airline". Archived from the original on 30 December 2013.
- ^ WAM. "Sharjah Airport welcomes over 4.2 million passengers in first quarter of 2024". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Sharjah International Airport is the third largest Middle East airfreight hub in cargo tonnage, according to official 2015 statistics from Airports Council InTernational. Ground services company, Sharjah Aviation Services, handled 586,195 tonnes in 2015 – a 16.1% increase year on year. It has one passenger terminal with an area of 125,000 m2 (1,350,000 sq ft)". Social | Digital | Google | PR | Radio | OOH | Website | Video | SMS | Email. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Contact Info Archived 20 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine." Air Arabia. Retrieved on 21 June 2010. "Air Arabia (UAE) Air Arabia Head Quarters Sharjah Freight Center (Cargo), near Sharjah International Airport P.O. Box 132 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates"
- ^ Sobie, Brendan. "Low cost & regionals: Arabian pioneers." Flight International. 23 April 2007. Retrieved on 8 February 2011. "Air Arabia's headquarters is hidden in a dated cargo terminal at Sharjah airport, a 15km (9 miles) drive from central Dubai, which should take 15 minutes but can take up to two hours during rush hour."
- ^ "Stations-S". Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ "UAE then and now: From RAF runway to busy Sharjah street". 16 March 2021.
- ^ "Airports and ATC: nothing but the best", Flight International, 30 July 1977, p.354 (online archive version). Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ History of Sharjah Archived 16 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ Sharjah – How to Get There Archived 3 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00874269".
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- ^ "Yearbook & Directory 2010" (PDF). Sharjah International Airport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2012.
... the existing runway, which at 4,060 metres is the longest in the Middle East
- ^ "Sharjah Airport Travel Agency". ArabianBusiness.com. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ sharjahairport.ae - Flight Timetable retrieved 25 March 2017
- ^ "Direct flights from Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) - FlightConnections".
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- ^ Nagraj, Aarti (23 October 2016). "Air Arabia to launch flights to Baku". Gulf Business. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
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- ^ a b "Air Arabia".
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- ^ "Air Arabia Adds Maldives Service From late-Oct 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Air Arabia". www.airarabia.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Liu, Jim (2 August 2024). "Air Arabia NW24 Sharjah Service Increases". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Air Arabia Resumes Sharjah – Vienna Service From Late-Dec 2024". AeroRoutes. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240830-g9nw24waw
- ^ "Air Arabia Resumes Yanbu Service From November 2024". AeroRoutes. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ "Air Arabia Resumes Sarajevo Service From June 2024". AeroRoutes. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
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- ^ "Air India Express to commence Indore-Sharjah service in Mar-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
- ^ Boda, Tharun (25 September 2022). "Andhra Pradesh: Vijayawada-Sharjah flight service from October 31". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ https://booking.flyairpeace.com/VARS/Public/b/flightCal.aspx#cal-accordion-0-1[permanent dead link ]
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- ^ a b "Rebels said to enter Damascus as army reportedly abandons airport". www.timesofisrael.com. The Times of Israel. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ a b Liu, Jim (23 July 2024). "FitsAir NS24 Maldives – Armenia Operation Changes". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Fly Jinnah starting international flights". Pro-Pakistani. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
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- ^ Report), (Staff. "Sharjah airport records 14% growth in passengers". www.khaleejtimes.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ AviationSafety.net database on EY85281, retrieved 9 May 2009
- ^ Khaleej Times Online: article about Kish Air crash Archived 14 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine
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External links
editMedia related to Sharjah International Airport at Wikimedia Commons