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Luqa Airport
Airport Directory » Malta » Malta » Luqa AirportMalta International Airport (IATA: MLA, ICAO: LMML) is the only airport in Malta, and it assists the whole Maltese Archipelago. It is turn up between Luqa and Gudja in Malta. It busies the place of the former RAF Luqa and was wholly re-furbished, getting full operational on 25 March 1992. It is still named to by locals as Luqa Airport, and sometimes as Valletta Airport internationally, as it is turn up eight kilometers from the Maltese capital Valletta.
The airport assists as the independent hub for Air Malta, though many other air hose also wing to the airport, including many vacation air hose. The airport is functioned by Malta International Airport plc, a public limited corporation. It also hosts the Area Control Centre. The airport hosts the one-year Malta Airshow, see by armed forces and polite aircraft from various European and other lands.
History
The 1st polite field was build at Ta' Qali, come after by others at Hal Far and Luqa. During the Second World War, the fields at Ta' Qali and Hal Far were badly knocked about and polite functioning after centered on Luqa airport.
The increase in rider deal and aircraft motilities needed the building of a polite air depot. Preparations set about in 1956 and the British Government principally financed what was then a Lm 300,000 (approx €700,000) labor. Malta's new rider air depot at Luqa was kick off on 31 March 1958 by the then Governor of Malta Sir Robert Laycock. The air depot dwell of 2 flooring including some basic installations such as a eating house, a Post business office, a Cable and Wireless business office and a Viewing Balcony for the public.
Air traffic invariably increased and new air hose with bigger aircraft set about functioning. The unveiling of jet plane diminished winging clips and accordingly draw more individuals to travel by air.
In October 1977, a new and longer landing track was set up and works set about on the extension and restoration of the air depot. An reaches lounge and another lounge committed for the VIP's were added and the original division of the depot construction was used for going.
This renovation was not enough as it still missed sure essential installations. Immediately after the modify in Government in 1987, the new disposal determined that the 35-year old depot was past its clip and thus gave the green visible light for the building of a new air depot alongside Park 9.
Until the building of the new air depot was finished, the Government embarked on a further upgrade of the old air depot. The installations introduced included air status, new luggage roundabouts, voyage info supervises, computerized check-in desks, a new floor surface and new retail mercantile establishments including a bigger duty free shop area .
The foundation rock of the present air depot was laid in September 1989 and kick off in put down clip 29 calendar month afterwards in February 1992. Malta International Airport got full operational on March 25, 1992, and the old Luqa airport was efficaciously shut down after 35 yr.
Incidents and accidents
- On 25 November 1973, Luqa Airport witnessed the districting of the "Mississippi", a KLM Boeing 747 commandeered by 3 immature Arabs over Iraqi air space on a scheduled Amsterdam-Tokyo voyage with 247 riders on board, after the road agent menaced to set off the aeroplane when no land would allow districting permission. Most of the riders and the 8 hostesses were let go after talks with the Maltese PM Dom Mintoff who reasoned with the road agent that the aeroplane is able to not maybe start out with both the riders and the 27,000 gals of fuel they had claimed given the (then) short landing track. With 11 riders on board the jumbo jet plane go forth Malta to Dubai where the incident finished without fatalities. The pirate was demanded by the Arab Nationalist Youth Organization.
- On 23 November 1985, Luqa Airport was the scene of 1 of the deadliest aircraft highjacks in air power history. EgyptAir Flight 648 was impelled to bring down in Malta en–route to Libya. Unit 777 of the Egyptian antiterrorist pressures was send off to cover with the incident. Storming of the Boeing 737, reluctantly pass by Maltese functionaries after 5 sureties were hit, ensued in the expiry of over 60 riders plus several security force, air crew and road agent.
- Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi was convicted for the Lockerbie bombing on the theory that he load up a bomb onto Air Malta Flight KM180 Malta-Frankfurt at Luqa Airport which constitute its fashion via the interline luggage system onto Pan Am Feeder Flight 103A Frankfurt-London Heathrow and finally onto Pan Am Flight 103 London Heathrow-New York.
- MIA was the beginning airport of the Air Malta Flight 830 Malta-Istanbul commandeer which stopped in Cologne.
Statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers dealt | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | London Gatwick Airport | 342,823 | ▲ 11.2 |
| Two | Manchester Airport | 206,260 | ▼ 15 |
| Three | London Heathrow Airport | 196,623 | ▲ 10.5 |
| Four | Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport | 188,723 | ▲ 13.7 |
| Five | Frankfurt Airport | 188,555 | ▼ 0.7 |
| Six | London Luton Airport | 114,294 | ▼ 0.2 |
| Seven | Munich Airport | 97,896 | ▲ 10.5 |
| Eight | Paris-Orly Airport | 83,683 | ▲ 14 |
| Nine | Brussels National Airport | 81,841 | ▲ 4.4 |
| Ten | Milan Malpensa Airport | 76,782 | ▼ 72 |
Access
Malta International Airport is well-served by public transport. Bus figure eight go forth Valletta, passing through Floriana, Marsa, Paola, Tarxien, Ghaxaq and Gudja before halt in front end of the air depot, and vice-versa from the airport to Valletta. Services run as often as every 20 min..
There is also an airport to hotel shuttle service that is able to be pre booked on-line.
Taxis are available 24 60 minutes a solar day from the airport to anybody destination in Malta. Fixed values are applicable and pre-paid tickets is able to be bought from the box office inside the Welcomers' Hall on Arrivals.
Original article.