International Airport Irkutsk

Irkutsk International Airport (Russian: Международный Аэропорт Иркутск) (IATA: IKT, ICAO: UIII) is an international airport on the outskirts of Irkutsk, Russia, at a distance of 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Lake Baikal.

Irkutsk International Airport

Международный
Аэропорт Иркутск
Summary
Airport typeMilitary / Public
OwnerRussian Federation
OperatorJSC "International Airport Irkutsk"
ServesIrkutsk
LocationIrkutsk, Russia
Hub for
Focus city for
Time zone+8 (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL1,675 ft / 511 m
Coordinates52°16′05″N 104°23′20″E / 52.26806°N 104.38889°E / 52.26806; 104.38889
Websiteiktport.ru/en/
Map
IKT is located in Irkutsk Oblast
IKT
IKT
Location of airport in Irkutsk Oblast
IKT is located in Russia
IKT
IKT
IKT (Russia)
IKT is located in Earth
IKT
IKT
IKT (Earth)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 11,702 3,564 polymer asphalt concrete
Statistics (2018)
PassengersIncrease 2,213,000
Servicing of cargo (in tons)Increase 31,933
Source:[1][2][3]

Operations

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The airport has daily domestic flights to Moscow, Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Yakutsk, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Sochi. It has regional daily flights to Ust-Kut, Bratsk, Bodaybo, Kirensk and other Russian cities.

Due to its proximity to the Angara Reservoir, the airport is subject to a microclimate of foggy weather. When the airport is closed due to bad weather conditions, Bratsk Airport, Ulan-Ude Airport, Irkutsk Northwest Airport, and Belaya (air base) serve as diversion airports.

History

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1920s to 1930s

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The Irkutsk Airport opened on 24 June 1925. Six aircraft from Moscow landed at the airport as part of a flight to Beijing. Of these six planes, four were domestic and two were foreign. This flight was headed by captain I.P. Shmidt. The event was the beginning of aviation service in Siberia.

On 10–13 August 1928 the first postal/passenger flight on the Irkutsk–Bodaybo seaplane route arrived. It was a Junkers F 13 named Mossovet. In August 1932 the air route from Moscow to Vladivostok opened with a stop in Irkutsk. Irkutsk aviators started to fly the Irkutsk to Mogocha route.

1940s to 1960s

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In January 1948, daily flights on the Irkutsk–Moscow, Irkutsk–Bodaybo–Yakutsk air routes were started. On December 30, 1954, Irkutsk Airport was elevated to international status.

On September 15, 1956, the Tupolev Tu-104 first arrived in Irkutsk by tech-flight from Beijing. The Moscow–Irkutsk route initiated that day marked the first Soviet jet-airliner-operated passenger route. The flight was performed by a Moscow crew headed by captain E.P. Barabash.

1970s to 1990s

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On March 7, 1975, the first Tupolev Tu-154 jets landed in Irkutsk. On April 4, 1975, the first flight to Moscow on Tupolev Tu-154 was performed.

On November 11, 1980, the first Il-76 CCCP-76525 arrived in Irkutsk. The crew consisted of: flight instructor МГА Mr. M. V. Ptitsyn, the commander УТО Mr. V. F. Podshivalov, captain-probationer A.V. Bobylkov and other flying experts. On December 19, 1980, the first flight was performed on the route Irkutsk–Polyarnyi using the Il-76. It was headed by air detachment commander Mr. v. I. Sviridov.

On April 1, 1992, according to order No. 238 d.d. 30 March, Irkutsk United Air Group was reorganized. There were Irkutsk Airport State Enterprise (SE "Irkutsk Airport") and Air company Baikal Public Corporation.

On October 28, 1994, certificate No. 045-А-М from the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee for accordance with certification requirements was given. The airport was accepted as suitable for international flights.

On December 16, 1994, the acting terminal of international flights was put into commission.

2000s

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On April 12, 2002, the aerodrome operator changed its name to Irkutsk Airport Federal State Unitary Enterprise.[citation needed]

On July 14, 2004, the aerodrome received its certificate to accept international flights and landing-minimum 1 category ICAO 60.[citation needed]

On October 14, 2008, the work for lengthening the runway (400 m towards Lake Baikal) was completed.[citation needed]

The domestic terminal was re-opened on April 10, 2009, after reconstruction. The terminal is called Crystal Gate.[citation needed]

Irkutsk International Airport held its first aircraft spotting session on November 13, 2009, becoming the third large city in Russia (after Moscow and Novosibirsk). The event has become a tradition.[4][5]

On July 2, 2010, Irkutsk Airport celebrated its 85th anniversary.[6]

On March 1, 2011, Federal State Unitary Enterprise Irkutsk Airport became the open joint-stock company International airport Irkutsk.[citation needed]

Technical characteristics

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Aerodrome chart
 
Gate in the International Airport Irkutsk.
 
Apron buses at Irkutsk Airport.

Irkutsk International Airport has a rather unusual layout, with the passenger terminals being off the western end of the airfield's only runway, at an exact 270° heading. The airport's runway is coated with a substance known as armobetonnym, but is also rather steep, featuring a 30-metre vertical drop between the west and east runway ends. The total capacity of the two passenger terminals is 1450 passengers per hour. For loads up to 30 tons, the cargo terminal has at its disposal diesel forklifts, hoists, a container platform, and electronic/mechanical weigh scales. The airport complex also includes the Air Harbour airport hotel, a service of aviation service (board food workshop) repair facility and medical services. There is a VIP lounge in the international terminal building.

Passenger capacity:

  • Domestic terminal: 800 passengers/hour
  • International terminal: 650 passengers/hour

Cargo terminal: area = 2.2 hectares with a capacity of 150 tonnes per day.

Fire fighting equipment: cat VIII

Runway characteristics

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The class of the artificial landing strip - B (according to the length of the landing strip), corresponding to the first category of ICAO.

ETOPS Diversion airport

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Irkutsk airport serves as a diversion airport for transcontinental flights and Polar route 2.[7][8]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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Boeing 767-300ER of S7 Airlines
 
S7 Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M in new livery parked at Irkutsk Airport.
 
Angara Airlines Antonov An-148 landing at Irkutsk Airport.
AirlinesDestinations
Aeroflot Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[9] Moscow–Sheremetyevo, Phuket
Alrosa Mirny Air Enterprise Mirny
Angara Airlines Bodaybo, Bratsk, Chara, Erbogachen, Kirensk, Nizhneangarsk, Ust-Kut
Aurora Khabarovsk
Avia Traffic Company Osh
Azur Air Seasonal charter: Pattaya,[10] Phuket[10]
Hainan Airlines Beijing–Capital[11]
Ikar Seasonal charter: Phuket
IrAero Blagoveshchensk, Bodaybo, Chara, Chita,[12] Guilin, Hanoi, Harbin, Kyzyl, Lensk, Mama, Manzhouli, Mirny, Nanchang,[12] Neryungri, Novosibirsk, Olyokminsk, Polyarny, Talakan, Ulaanbaatar,[13] Ulan-Ude, Ust-Kut
Izhavia Izhevsk[14]
KrasAvia Krasnoyarsk–International
NordStar Novosibirsk, Ufa
Nordwind Airlines Kazan
Pobeda Moscow–Sheremetyevo
Red Wings Airlines Novokuznetsk
Rossiya Airlines Krasnoyarsk–International,[15] Saint Petersburg
S7 Airlines[16] Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Beijing–Daxing,[17] Blagoveshchensk, Bratsk, Chita, Fergana, Guangzhou (resumes 15 December 2024),[18] Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk-International, Kyzyl, Moscow–Domodedovo, Neryungri, Novosibirsk, Omsk,[19] Osh, Pattaya (begins 30 March 2025),[20] Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Phuket,[21] Saint Petersburg,[22][23] Shanghai-Pudong (begins 14 December 2024), Sochi,[24] Ufa, Ulan-Ude, Vladivostok, Yakutsk, Yekaterinburg
SiLA Kazachinskoye,[25] Ust-Ilimsk[25]
Ural Airlines Dushanbe,[26] Moscow–Domodedovo, Namangan,[26] Osh,[26] Tashkent,[26] Yekaterinburg
Utair Krasnoyarsk–International, Ufa, Ust-Kut[27]
Uzbekistan Airways Namangan, Tashkent,[28] Samarqand[29]
Yakutia Airlines Almaty, Yakutsk

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Volga-Dnepr Airlines Kolkata

Statistics

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Busiest routes at International Airport Irkutsk (by number of passengers) 2015[30]
Rank Country Region City Airport Airlines Number of passengers
1   Russia   Moscow /   Moscow Oblast Moscow Moscow Domodedovo Airport, Sheremetyevo International Airport, Vnukovo International Airport S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines, Aeroflot, Transaero 614,888
2   Russia   Novosibirsk Oblast Novosibirsk Novosibirsk Tolmachevo Airport Angara, IrAero, NordStar, S7 Airlines 139,208
3   Thailand Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Phuket Province Bangkok, Phuket City Suvarnabhumi Airport, Phuket International Airport Azur Air, S7 Airlines, Pegas Fly 125,418
4   China Municipality of Beijing Beijing, Manzhouli, Harbin, Hong Kong Beijing Capital Airport, Manzhouli Xijiao Airport, Harbin, Hong Kong Airport Hainan Airlines, S7 Airlines 106,323
5   Russia   Khabarovsk Krai Khabarovsk Khabarovsk Novy Airport Aurora Airlines, IrAero 76,340
6   Russia   Primorsky Krai Vladivostok Knevichi Airport S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines 50,251

Ground transport

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The airport is located within the city limits. At the airport there are two paid parking areas: 180 spaces (near the international terminal) and 80 spaces (near the domestic airline terminal).

The air terminals are equipped with three stops for complex urban public transport. In addition, shuttle bus number 306 has a route to Angarsk which runs three times a day (2010 data).

Periodical literature

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The airport publishes its own regional industry newspaper, Irkutsk Sky, dedicated to civil aviation in the Irkutsk region. The publication contains interviews with the heads of airlines, an airline news column, and analytical materials. The newspaper is published bimonthly and distributed free in the airport terminals and the airlines' offices in Irkutsk.[31]

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 25 July 1971, Aeroflot Flight 1912 crashed after it touched down short of the runway. 97 of the 118 people on board perished in the crash.[32]
  • On 9 February 1976, Aeroflot Flight 3739 crashed shortly after takeoff. Of the 115 people on board, 24 perished in the accident.[32]
  • On 4 July 2001, Vladivostok Air Flight 352 rolled sharply, stalled and crashed whilst on approach into Irkutsk. All 145 people on board were killed.
  • On 9 July 2006, S7 Airlines Flight 778 overshot the runway, and crashed through a concrete barricade, hit a group of private garages and burst into flames, killing 125 out 203 people on board. The only runway had to be closed, and incoming planes were diverted to the runway of the nearby Irkut aviation plant, where Sukhoi fighters and the Beriev Be-200 are produced.[33]
  • On 1 July 2016, an IL-76 belonging to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) of the Russian Federation, which took off from Irkutsk International airport, crashed in the early morning near Lake Baikal on its way to fight a forest fire in the area. All ten people on board were members of EMERCOM, and there were no survivors.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ (in Russian)Aviapages.ru Airport Irkutsk/Irkutsk
  2. ^ (in Russian)"Airport Irkutsk" in 2010 showed an increase in passenger traffic
  3. ^ World Aero Data[usurped]
  4. ^ (in Russian)November 13 at Irkutsk airport for the first time was aircraft spotting session // Official site of JSC "International airport" Irkutsk ""
  5. ^ (in Russian)In the Irkutsk airport today held a summer aircraft spotting[permanent dead link] //News "AS Baikal TV"
  6. ^ (in Russian)"Airport Irkutsk" marks 85 years // Official site of JSC "International airport" Irkutsk ""
  7. ^ Boeing-conducted Airport safety and operational assessments
  8. ^ New Cross-Polar Routes
  9. ^ "Aeroflot to launch flights to Bangkok from Irkutsk in January". ASEAN Briefing. 25 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b "AZUR Air Expands Phuket Network in NW23". AeroRoutes. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Hainan Airlines Resumes Beijing – Irkutsk Service From late-Dec 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  12. ^ a b Liu, Jim (20 September 2024). "IrAero NW24 Cam Ranh / Phu Quoc Routing Changes". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  13. ^ "IrAero Adds Vietnam / Mongolia Service in 2Q23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  14. ^ Глазова, Ольга (27 August 2023). "Из Ижевска откроют авиарейсы до Иркутска". izhlife.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  15. ^ Liu, Jim. "Aeroflot expands Krasnoyarsk market in S20". Routesonline. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  16. ^ "S7 Airlines flight schedule". www.s7.ru. S7 Airlines.
  17. ^ "S7 Airlines Resumes Mainland China Service From May 2023". AeroRoutes. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  18. ^ Liu, Jim (3 July 2024). "S7 Airlines Resumes Irkutsk – Guangzhou From mid-Dec 2024". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Прямой авиарейс из Иркутска в Омск запустила S7 Airlines". ИркСиб (in Russian). 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  20. ^ Liu, Jim (21 November 2024). "S7 Airlines Files Irkutsk – Utapao Schedule in 2Q25". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  21. ^ Liu, Jim (13 June 2024). "S7 Airlines Resumes Irkutsk – Phuket in NW24". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  22. ^ Liu, Jim (23 April 2019). "S7 Airlines schedules new domestic routes in S19". Routesonline. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  23. ^ Liu, Jim (6 January 2019). "S7 Airlines S19 Domestic network addition as of 04JAN19". Routesonline. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  24. ^ Liu, Jim (4 September 2019). "S7 Airlines adds Irkutsk – Adler/Sochi service in S20". Routesonline. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  25. ^ a b "Авиакомпания "СиЛА" открыла продажу билетов из Иркутска в Усть-Илимск и Казачинское". www.irk.ru. Твой Иркутск. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  26. ^ a b c d Liu, Jim (15 October 2024). "Ural Airlines Resumes 4 Irkutsk Regional Routes in NW24". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Utair NS24 Network Additions". AeroRoutes. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  28. ^ Самолёты начнут летать из Иркутска в Ташкент напрямую. ircity.ru (in Russian). Информационное агентство «Ирсити». 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  29. ^ "Uzbekistan Airways Adds Samarkand – Irkutsk From June 2024". AeroRoutes. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  30. ^ "В аэропорту Иркутск подвели итоги 2015 года". ОАО «Международный Аэропорт Иркутск». Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  31. ^ (in Russian)"Airport Irkutsk" presented the first edition of the newspaper devoted to civil aviation of the Irkutsk region
  32. ^ a b "Катастрофа Ту-104А ВС УГА в Иркутске (борт CCCP-42327), 09 февраля 1976 года. // AirDisaster.ru - авиационные происшествия, инциденты и авиакатастрофы в СССР и России - факты, история, статистика". airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  33. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A310-324 F-OGYP Irkutsk Airport (IKT)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
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