Alice Springs Airport, ASP

Airport Name: Alice Springs Airport
IATA Code: ASP, ICAO Code: YBAS
Airport Type: Medium Airport
Elevation: 545 metres.
Municipiality: Alice Springs, Region: Northern Territory, Country: Australia
Website: ASP Airport Official Website
Wikipedia link: ASP Airport on Wikipedia

Alice Springs Airport is probably one of the most remote major regional airports in Australia. Located in the heart of Central Australia in the Northern Territory state, it is one of the busiest airports in the country. In 2009, it handled 674,215 passengers, making it Australia's 17th busiest airport.

History

The origin of the airport can be traced back in October of 1921, when the first aircraft landed on its airstrip. As the military buildup in the Northern Australia was gaining momentum in the late 1930s, there was a need to build an airport that could handle larger and heavier aircraft. And that led to the construction of the Seven Mile Aerodrome in 1940 by the Australian Department of Defence for use by the Royal Australian Air Force and United States Air Force.

During the Second World War, the airport was used primarily for military operations as a refueling and staging facility since it is close to the Pacific Theater of Operations. At those times, however, civilian aircraft were still permitted to land.

In 1958, several years after the war, the airport was renamed Alice Springs Airport.

Runways

There are currently two runways of which the main runway 12/30, at 2,438m long, can handle large aircraft such as Boeing-747 or -777 landing. However, due to high temperatures and the runway length, such aircraft could not make a proper takeoff fully laden. The secondary runway 17/35 is designed for light and small aircraft, and measures 1,133m long.

Terminal

The single terminal building of the airport houses a souvenir shop, a magazine shop, and a couple of dining options. It also boasts of complete amenities and facilities providing utmost comfort to all passengers, such as ATM machines, lost & found corner, telephones, smoker's area, toilet and shower areas, baby rooms, and left luggage service.

Flights and Destinations

Qantas and QantasLink currently operate in the airport, providing connections to Adelaide, Ayers Rock, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Ausjet Aviation operates charter flights to a few key points in the region.

Transport to and from the Airport

There are a number of ways passengers can get to the airport as well from the airport. The most reliable, by far, is a shuttle bus service linking the airport and the town center. The shuttle bus offers a door-to-door service to passengers. Alternatively, taxis are aplenty just outside the terminal and car rental desks are available inside the terminal building.

Alice Springs Airport Arrivals

Alice Springs Airport Departures

Flight information is provided by FlightStats, and is subject to the FlightStats Terms of Use.