Visakhapatnam Airport

Visakhapatnam Airport (IATA: VTZ, ICAO: VOVZ) is a customs airport in Visakhapatnam, India. It also operates as a civil enclave on an Indian Navy airbase named INS Dega. It lies between the city localities of NAD X Road and Gajuwaka. The airport has experienced significant growth since the beginning of the 21st century, with the construction of a new terminal and runway and the commencing of international flights. The airport covers an area of 350 acres.

Lush green surroundings of the airport

Visakhapatnam Airport
Summary
Airport typeCivil Enclave
OwnerIndian Navy
Operator
ServesVisakhapatnam
LocationVisakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Elevation AMSL3 m / 10 ft
Coordinates17°43′16″N 083°13′28″E
WebsiteOfficial website
Map
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ
VTZ
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 3,050m 10,007ft Asphalt
05/23 1,829m 6,000ft Asphalt[1]
Statistics (April 202q - March 2022)
Passengers16,10,483(44.6%)
Aircraft movements14,878 (39.5%)
Cargo tonnage4,326 (14.5%)
Statistics: AAI[2][3][4]

History
Terminal view of the Airport
Full view of the Airport
Side view of the Airport

In 1981, the airport commenced civilian operations with one flight per day. The original runway was 6,000 ft (1,800 m) long. A new 10,007 ft (3,050 m) long and 45 m (148 ft) wide runway was inaugurated on 15 June 2007 to accommodate medium-sized and wide-body aircraft, with the installation and calibration of an instrument landing system (ILS) on Runway 28 as well. Used initially only for military operations, the ILS became operational for commercial aircraft from 30 March 2008. A new terminal building was inaugurated on 20 February 2009 and became operational on 27 March that year.[5]

On 17 November 2011, the ICAO airport code was changed from VEVZ to VOVZ.[6]

Facilities

Structure

The passenger terminal can handle 300 arriving and 700 departing passengers. It covers an area of 20,400 square meters. The airport has a total of 11 parking bays.[1]

Runways

The airport has two runways.[1]

  • Runway 10/28: 3,050 by 45 metres (10,007 ft × 148 ft), ILS CAT-1 equipped in Runway 28.
  • Runway 05/23: 1,829 by 45 metres (6,001 ft × 148 ft)

Terminals

The new passenger terminal was opened in 2009 and can handle 2 million passengers per annum. The terminal has 20 check-in counters which include 11 immigration and nine customs counters. The terminal has three aerobridges.[1]

Airlines and destinations
IndiGo Airbus A320 at Visakhapatnam Airport, 2014
AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia India Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad
Air India Delhi, Mumbai, Port Blair
IndiGoAhmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kadapa,[7] Kolkata, Kurnool,[8] Mumbai, Pune, Rajahmundry,[9] Tirupati, Vijayawada
Scoot Singapore[10]
SpiceJet Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai[11]

Statistics
Annual passenger traffic at VTZ airport. See source Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic and aircraft movements at Visakhapatnam Airport
Year Passenger traffic Aircraft movement
Passengers Percent change Aircraft movements Percent change
2018 2,815,205[12] +16.8% 23,264[13] +21.2%
2017 2,409,712[14] +5.8% 19,193[15] +1.0%
2016 2,277,335[14] +44.4% 19,007[15] +23.7%
2015 1,577,497[16] +49.4% 15,361[17] +42.2%
2014 1,056,096[16] +5.9% 10,804[17] −8.8%
2013 1,025,396[18] −1.8% 11,846[19] −25.5%
2012 1,044,906[18] +19.0% 15,896[19] +10.6%
2011 878,000[20] +29.4% 14,367[21] +25.9%
2010 678,255[20] +8.4% 11,413[21] −5.8%
2009 625,767[22] 12,115[23]

INS Dega naval base
Main article: INS Dega

The Indian Navy started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in the late 1970s, with the construction of four helipads adjacent to the civil airfield. The airport at Visakhapatnam was transferred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in 1981. Additional hangars, maintenance facilities, and an operations complex were constructed soon after. The air station was called "Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam".

On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INS Dega.[24] The base has two aprons and is home to several squadrons: INAS 311, INAS 321, INAS 333, and INAS 350.

References
  1. "Visakhapatnam Airport".
  2. "Annexure III - Passenger Data" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. "Annexure II - Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. "Annexure IV - Freight Movement Data" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. "Vizag airport terminal to be inaugurated on Feb 20". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  6. ICAO code changed from VEVZ to VOVZ, 17 Nov 2011
  7. PTI (24 February 2022). "IndiGo to start flights between Kadapa & five cities from March 27 onwards". The Economic Times. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  8. Susarla, Ramesh (30 January 2021). "IndiGo flights from Kurnool to begin on March 28". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  9. "Flights between Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry". Goindigo.in. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  10. "Vizag - Singapore flight from December 29". The Hindu. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  11. "SpiceJet schedules".
  12. "Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  13. "Traffic News for the month of January 2018: Annexure II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  14. "Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  15. "Traffic News for the month of January 2017: Annexure II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  16. Traffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  17. Traffic News for the month of January 2015: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 9 March 2015. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  18. Traffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  19. Traffic News for the month of January 2013: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 27 March 2013. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  20. Traffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  21. Traffic News for the month of January 2011: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 18 March 2011. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  22. Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure III (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. Traffic News for the month of January 2009: Annexure II (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). 5 January 2010. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  24. "INS Dega". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
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