Pune Airport पुणे विमानतळ Puṇe Vimānataḷa |
|||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary | |||||||||||||||
Airport type | Military/Public | ||||||||||||||
Owner | Indian Air Force | ||||||||||||||
Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||||||||||||||
Location | Pune, Maharashtra, India | ||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 1,942 ft / 592 m | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 18°34′56″N 073°55′11″E / 18.58222°N 73.91972°ECoordinates: 18°34′56″N 073°55′11″E / 18.58222°N 73.91972°E | ||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Statistics (2016) | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Source: AAI
|
Passenger movements | 6,395,490 |
---|---|
Aircraft movements | 45,184 |
Cargo tonnage | 35,171 |
Pune Airport (IATA: PNQ, ICAO: VAPO) is located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) north-east of Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India. The airport is a civil enclave operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at the eastern side of Lohegaon Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The airport handles both domestic and international flights.
Pune Airport has a 2535 metre long runway oriented 10/28. A former secondary runway is now used as a taxiway by the IAF. A 2200m x 23m parallel taxiway has been constructed by AAI to facilitate civil operation on the southern side of Rwy 10/28. The Airfield is equipped with night landing facilities as well as navigational facilities like DVOR/DME and an NDB. As Pune's Air Traffic Control is operated by the IAF, there is often friction between the AAI and the IAF over flight schedules and night landings. There is currently a basic working relationship between the two parties; they have agreed to allow night landings of civilian flights for the time being, though this is not a long-term solution.
The airfield was established in 1939 as RAF Poona to provide air security to the city of Bombay (now Mumbai). The base was home to World War II squadrons of de Havilland Mosquito and Vickers Wellington bombers and Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. In May 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force took charge of the airfield. The Pune Airport was declared as a customs airport in January 1997 for the export of specified goods. With effect from 12 December 2005, Pune Airport was notified as an international airport for the clearance of passengers and baggage. International flights to Dubai and Singapore commenced by Indian (Previously Indian Airlines) in 2005. These flights however were cancelled later. In 2004–05, Pune Airport handled about 165 passengers a day, which works out to around 60,000 a year. It increased to 250 passengers a day in 2005–06. There was a sharp rise in 2006–07 when passengers reached 4,309 a day making it over 1,500,000 a year and more than 2.8 million passengers a year in 2010– 2011 (about 8,000 passengers a day).