Wikipedia

Khartoum International Airport

Not to be confused with Khartoum New International Airport, which is under construction.

Khartoum International Airport (IATA: KRT, ICAO: HSSK) (Arabic: مطار الخرطوم الدولي) is the principal airport in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The airport has been shut down since it was stormed and occupied on 15 April 2023 during the Battle of Khartoum.[2]

Khartoum International Airport

مطار الخرطوم الدولي

Maṭār Al-Khurṭūm Al-Duwaliyy
Summary
Airport typeCivil and Military (Joint)
ServesKhartoum
LocationKhartoum, Sudan
Hub forBadr Airlines, Sudan Airways, Tarco Aviation
Elevation AMSL1,265 ft / 386 m
Coordinates15°35′22″N 32°33′11″E / 15.58944°N 32.55306°E / 15.58944; 32.55306
Websitekrtairport.gov.sd
Map
KRT is located in Sudan
KRT
KRT
Location of airport in Sudan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 9,777 2,980 Asphalt
Statistics (2017)
Passengers3,563,181
Source: Khartoum International Airport[1]
Access Road

History

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The airport originated as the Royal Air Force airfield Gordon's Tree. By January 1940, No. 223 Squadron RAF was located at Gordon's Tree, in the south of Khartoum.[3] Later the area became known as El Shajjara ("The Tree").[4] By January 1942, No. 71 Operational Training Unit (OTU) RAF was operating from the airfield; among aircraft operated were Curtiss Tomahawks and Vickers Wellesleys. Reportedly the OTU had at one stage 50 Harvards and 20 Hurricane fighters on strength.[5]

Sudanese independence was granted in January 1956. The last Royal Air Force flying unit reported at Khartoum was No. 8 Squadron RAF, which arrived in November 1953, and stayed until July 1956.[6]

The current airport is scheduled to be replaced by the New Khartoum International Airport in Omdourman 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of the centre of Khartoum. This is planned to have two 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) runways, a passenger terminal of 86,000 m2 (930,000 sq ft) and a 300-room international hotel.[7][8] Construction is to be carried out by China Harbour Engineering Co. (CHEC).[9] On 4 March 2021, the airport's ICAO code was changed from HSSS to HSSK.[10]

At the start of the Sudanese civil war (2023–present) on 15 April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked key installations in Khartoum, including Khartoum International Airport. The RSF reportedly fired on a Saudia airliner which was arriving at the airport, but no casualties were reported among the aircraft's passengers and crew.[11][12] However, two civilians were killed in separate incidents in the airport.[13] A total of 20 aircraft were believed to have been destroyed during the fighting.[14] The RSF subsequently occupied the airport, which has been closed to aviation and has been subjected to attacks by the Sudanese Armed Forces during the Battle of Khartoum.[15]

Airlines and destinations (suspended)

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Departure Hall

Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Afriqiyah Airways Benghazi, Tripoli–Mitiga
Badr Airlines Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Amman–Queen Alia,[16] Cairo, Damazin, Doha, Dubai–International, El Fasher, El Obeid, Geneina, Istanbul, Jeddah, Juba, Kano, Kassala, N'Djamena, Nyala, Port Sudan, Riyadh, Wau
Berniq Airways Benghazi[17]
Cham Wings Airlines Damascus[18]
Egyptair Cairo
Emirates Dubai–International
Eritrean Airlines Asmara, Cairo, Kano[19]
Ethiopian Airlines Addis Ababa
flyadeal Jeddah, Riyadh
flydubai Dubai–International
flynas Abha,[20] Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh
Golden Wings Aviation Juba, Wau
Gulf Air Bahrain
Kenya Airways Juba,[21] Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta
Nova Airways[22] Dongola, El Fasher, Juba, Merowe, Nyala, Port Sudan, Wau
Qatar Airways Doha
Royal Jordanian Amman–Queen Alia[23]
SalamAir Muscat[24]
Saudia Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh
Sudan Airways Addis Ababa, Asmara, Cairo, El Fasher, Geneina, Jeddah, Juba, Kano, N'Djamena, Nyala, Port Sudan, Riyadh
Syrian Air Damascus
Tarco Aviation Amman–Queen Alia, Asmara, Cairo, Dammam, Doha,[25] Entebbe, Jeddah, Juba, Kano, N'Djamena, Riyadh
Turkish Airlines Istanbul
Yemenia Aden

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
EgyptAir Cargo[citation needed] Cairo, Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta
Emirates Sky Cargo[26] Dubai–Al Maktoum
Ethiopian Airlines Cargo[citation needed] Addis Ababa, Liège
Qatar Airways Cargo[citation needed] Doha
SalamAir[27] Muscat
Saudia Cargo[citation needed] Jeddah
Turkish Cargo[citation needed] Istanbul, Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta

Khartoum Air Base

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The airport hosts a major Sudanese Air Force Transport Squadron:[28]

Police Air Wing operates rotary aircraft from the base:

Accidents and incidents

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References

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  1. ^ "KRT International Airport Statistics 2017" (PDF). www.krtairport.gov.sd. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  2. ^ Leiro, Roberto (15 April 2023). "Sudan's RSF Clashes with Army in Khartoum Airport". Airways. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Stations-G".
  4. ^ "Washington's military option". Africa Confidential. 39 (17). 28 August 1998.
  5. ^ Cunningham, Pat (30 October 2011). Fighter! Fighter! Corkscrew Port!. Casemate Publishers. p. 13.
  6. ^ "Stations-Khartoum". Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Construction of the new Khartoum Airport begins in October". Sudan Tribune. 20 February 2006. Archived from the original on 1 August 2006. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
  8. ^ "Sudan to build new international airport near Khartoum". English.peopledaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
  9. ^ "The African Aviation Tribune". The African Aviation Tribune. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  10. ^ "Khartoum (HSSS) Cycle 2102 ICAO code changed" (PDF). Jeppesen. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Sudan unrest: RSF captures presidential palace as violence rages". geo.tv. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Saudi airline says plane came under fire at Khartoum International Airport". Reuters. 15 April 2023. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Sudan's army and rival force clash, wider conflict feared". The New Indian Express. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  14. ^ Odhiambo, Victor Shalton (20 April 2023). "At least 14 Aircraft damaged in Fighting at Khartoum Airport in Sudan". Airspace Africa. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Strong explosion rocks Khartoum airport amid new attacks". EFE Noticias. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  16. ^ ":: Badr Airlines ::".
  17. ^ "Berniq Airways Adds Libya – Sudan Link from mid-Oct 2022".
  18. ^ chamwings.com - Where we fly Archived 28 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 9 September 2018
  19. ^ "Eritrean Airlines adds Kano service from May 2019". Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  20. ^ Liu, Jim. "flynas W19 network expansion". Routesonline. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  21. ^ Otieno, Bonface (10 December 2021). "Kenya Airways launches direct Juba-Khartoum flights". Business Daily. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Passenger Flights".
  23. ^ "Royal Jordanian Resumes Khartoum Service from April 2023".
  24. ^ "SalamAir kick-starts Khartoum connection". 23 August 2018. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  25. ^ "Tarco Aviation adds Khartoum – Doha route from Dec 2019". Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  26. ^ "Emirates SkyCargo Freighter Operations get ready for DWC move". Emirates SkyCargo. 2 April 2014. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  27. ^ "SalamAir Cargo 1Q23 Operations".
  28. ^ "Orbats".
  29. ^ "Incident Vickers Wellesley Mk I L2660, 01 Jan 1942".
  30. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  31. ^ "N480F Accident report". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  32. ^ "Dozens die in Sudan jet inferno". BBC News. 10 June 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  33. ^ Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 26 July 2016.
  34. ^ "Cargo plane explodes in Khartoum, killing 4 crew". Reuters. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
  35. ^ "BREAKING Two Antonov aircraft have collided on the ground at Khartoum Airport, Sudan". Airlive Contributors. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  36. ^ Hogg, Ryan (15 April 2023). "Saudia Said Plane Involved in 'Accident' at Sudan's Khartoum Airport". businessinsider.com. Business Insider. Retrieved 17 April 2023. Saudia, formerly called Saudi Arabian Airlines, issued a statement saying one of its Airbus A330 jets was "involved in an accident" at the airport before a flight to Riyadh.... the other plane damaged in the shelling was a Ukraine-based SkyUp 737, operating on behalf of airline Sunwing.
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