Rafael Hernández Airport | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner | Puerto Rico Ports Authority | ||||||||||
Serves | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico | ||||||||||
Location | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico | ||||||||||
Hub for | |||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 237 ft / 72 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 18°29′42″N 067°07′46″W / 18.49500°N 67.12944°WCoordinates: 18°29′42″N 067°07′46″W / 18.49500°N 67.12944°W | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Location in Puerto Rico | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2014) | |||||||||||
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Source: Federal Aviation Administration
Operations from the FAA passengers from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority |
Aircraft Operations | 39,101 |
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Passenger movement | 428,413 |
Based aircraft | 42 |
Rafael Hernández Airport (IATA: BQN, ICAO: TJBQ, FAA LID: BQN) is a joint civil-military airport located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is named after the Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández Marín and is the second largest international airport in Puerto Rico in the region of Porta del Sol, Puerto Rico's west coast. It is also home to Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen. Rafael Hernandez Airport mainly serves Puerto Rican westerners living in the Eastern Region of the United States. The airport previously served as a focus city for PAWA Dominicana.
In the past, the airport has been served by major carriers like Capitol Air, Pan Am, Kiwi International Air Lines, TWA, American Airlines, and Delta Connection.Taesa flew in 1996 from Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City.
Until 1974, the airport was an active military installation, Ramey Air Force Base, under the operational control of Strategic Air Command (SAC). Following its closure, it was converted into a civilian airport. It used to receive domestic commercial flights by Prinair as well as service from JFK International Airport in New York City with Capitol Air, and 707 passenger flights from Miami with Southeast Airlines. It is also noted for being the place that the large clothing company, Wrangler Jeans used to land their planes filled with company-related cargo.