Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport
{{Short description|Airport serving Ajaccio, Corsica, France}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Napoleon Bonaparte Airport
| nativename = {{nobold|{{lang|fr|Aéroport d'Ajaccio-Napoléon-Bonaparte}}
{{lang|co|Aeruportu di Aiacciu Nabulione Buonaparte}}}}
| image = Aéroport_Ajaccio_Corse.jpg
| image-width = 250
| IATA = AJA
| ICAO = LFKJ
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = CCI d'Ajaccio/Corse du Sud
| city-served = Ajaccio, France
| location =
| elevation-f = 17
| elevation-m = 5
| coordinates = {{coord|41|55|26|N|008|48|09|E|region:FR-2A|display=inline,title}}
| website = [http://www.2a.cci.fr/Aeroport-Napoleon-Bonaparte-Ajaccio.html http://www.aeroport.fr]
| pushpin_map = France Corsica#France
| pushpin_mapsize = 200
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Corsica
| pushpin_label = LFKJ
| pushpin_label_position = left
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 02/20
| r1-length-f = 7,897
| r1-length-m = 2,407
| r1-surface = Bituminous concrete
|stat1-header = Passengers
|stat1-data = 1,411,728
|stat2-header = Freight (metric tons)
|stat2-data = 6.087
|stat3-header = Movements
|stat3-data = 31,590
| footnotes = Source: French AIP,{{AIP_FR|LFKJ|name=AJACCIO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE}} Aeroport.fr{{cite web|title=Résultats d'activité des aéroports français 2018|url=https://www.aeroport.fr/uploads/Rapport%20d'activit%C3%A9%20final.pdf |website=aeroport.fr|access-date=31 August 2019}}
}}
Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport{{efn|{{langx|fr|Aéroport d'Ajaccio-Napoléon-Bonaparte}}, {{langx|co|Aeruportu di Aiacciu Nabulione Buonaparte}}}} {{airport codes|AJA|LFKJ}}, formerly "Campo dell'Oro Airport", is the main airport serving Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located {{convert|5|km|abbr=on|mi nmi}} east of Ajaccio, the capital and main city on Corsica. The airport is the main base of regional airline Air Corsica, which operates services to continental France. It is named after Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio.
History
Campo dell'Oro, before aviation, was an alluvial plain at the mouth of the Gravona river. The toponym's origin, meaning "Field of Gold", remains obscure; some 19th century authors refer to a "rich cropland"; others, to a malaria-infested marshland. A grass flying field existed there before World War II but apparently offered no transportation services, as the first regular flights to Marseille began with the institution of a seaplane service in 1935 from Ajaccio Harbor.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
In 1940, a Vichy Air Corps unit was kept inactive at Campo dell'Oro. The liberation of Corsica began with the landing by sea in 1943 of the French 1st Army Corps at Ajaccio in Operation Vésuve. A few months later Fighter Group GC 2/7 of the Free French Air Force, a French unit of the Royal Air Force, were operational on the grass field at Campo dell'Oro with Spitfires. Heavy aircraft were unable to land and came to mishap in the soft surface.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}
In 1944 the United States Army Air Forces took over the airfield and put down a hard surface of perforated metallic mats from which a squadron of P-51 Mustang fighters flew.{{Cite web|title=The AAF in Southern France|work=The United States Army Air Forces in World War II|url=http://www.usaaf.net/ww/vol1/vol1pg1.htm|publisher=Headquarters, Army Air Forces Washington, D.C. (Center for Air Force History)|year=1992|access-date=20 May 2008|author=Office of Assistant Chief of Air staff, Intelligence|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517094548/http://www.usaaf.net/ww/vol1/vol1pg1.htm|archive-date=17 May 2008|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Calamity in Corsica|date=7 March 2007|first=Marc|last=Long|url=http://www.simhq.com/_air9/air_288a.html|work=Aviation and Air Combat Articles|publisher=SimHQ|access-date=20 May 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080516021934/http://www.simhq.com/_air9/air_288a.html| archive-date= 16 May 2008| url-status= live}} They defended B-26 Marauder bombers flying from new airfields constructed on the east coast of Corsica. Campo dell'Oro was a challenge for the larger aircraft because of its relatively short runways and proximity to the mountains. Toward the end of the war, the runways were paved, forming the foundation of the modern airport.
On 16 April 1981, President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing was the target of an attempted assassination at the airport grounds by the National Liberation Front of Corsica.
Before the crash of Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, the airport had no radar, and its holding pattern had aircraft fly over mountains. After the crash, the holding pattern was shifted over the ocean and aircraft radar was installed.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4d7CF83fJU |title=When Comms turn DEADLY! Inex-Adria flight 1308 |date=2024-07-18 |last=Mentour Pilot |access-date=2024-07-20 |via=YouTube}}
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport:
{{Airport-dest-list
| Air Corsica | Lyon, Marseille,{{Cite web|url=https://transport.ec.europa.eu/document/download/9168af3e-67c7-430f-b46c-61b76236d8cb_en?filename=pso_inventory_table_2024-03.pdf|title=LIST OF PUBLIC SERVICE OBLIGATIONS|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=11 March 2024|accessdate=4 January 2025|language=en}} Nice, Paris–Orly, Toulouse{{Cite journal|author=|journal=OAG Flight Guide Worldwide|title=Ajaccio|date=November 2023|volume=25|issue=5|publisher=OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited|publication-place=Luton, United Kingdom|issn=1466-8718|language=en|pages=22}}
Seasonal: Charleroi,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Clermont-Ferrand,{{Cite journal|author=|journal=OAG Flight Guide Worldwide|title=Ajaccio, France|date=August 2023|volume=25|issue=2|publisher=OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited|publication-place=Luton, United Kingdom|issn=1466-8718|language=en|pages=23–24}} Rome–Fiumicino,{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelquotidiano.com/trasporti/nellestate-di-air-corsica-debutta-la-rotta-ajaccio-roma-da-inizio-luglio/tqid-418094|title=Nell'estate di Air Corsica debutta la rotta Ajaccio-Roma, da inizio luglio |date=21 January 2022 }} Toulon,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Venice, Zurich{{Cite web|url=https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1034124|title = UAE Business: Air Corsica to launch Zurich-Ajaccio flights in July}}
| Air France | Paris–Orly
Seasonal: Brive,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Caen,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Castres,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Lyon,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Nantes,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Paris–Charles de Gaulle,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Poitiers{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
| {{nowrap|Amelia International}}{{cite web|url=https://flyamelia.com/en|title=Amelia-Connecting Our Horizons|website=flyamelia|date=16 December 2019 |access-date=20 February 2023}} | Seasonal: Brive{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230323-8raja | title=Amelia Adds Ajaccio – Brive Service in NS23 }}
| Chalair Aviation | Seasonal: Brive (begins 28 June 2025){{Cite web|last1=Liu|first1=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241226-cens25bve|title=Chalair NS25 Brive Network Expansion|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=26 December 2024|accessdate=27 December 2024|language=en-CA}}
| EasyJet | Seasonal: Basel/Mulhouse,{{Cite journal|author=|journal=OAG Flight Guide Worldwide|title=Ajaccio, France|date=August 2023|volume=25|issue=2|publisher=OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited|publication-place=Luton, United Kingdom|issn=1466-8718|language=en|pages=23–24}} Bordeaux,{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Jim |title=easyJet S20 new routes as of 27DEC19 |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/288449/easyjet-s20-new-routes-as-of-27dec19/ |website=Routesonline |access-date=31 December 2019}} Geneva, Lyon, Nantes,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Paris–Charles de Gaulle{{Cite web|last1=Liu|first1=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/220411-u2jul22|title=easyJet July 2022 Frequency Changes as of 08APR22|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=11 April 2022|accessdate=8 April 2025|language=en}}
| Luxair | Seasonal: Luxembourg{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230411-lg7m8|title=Luxair July – Oct 2023 737 MAX Network – 09APR23|website=Aeroroutes}}
| {{nowrap|Norwegian Air Shuttle}} | Seasonal: Oslo{{Cite journal|author=|journal=OAG Flight Guide Worldwide|title=Oslo, Norway|date=August 2023|volume=25|issue=2|publisher=OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited|publication-place=Luton, United Kingdom|issn=1466-8718|language=en|pages=807–814}}
| Transavia | Seasonal: Lyon,{{cite web |title=Transavia France NS25 Network Additions – 22OCT24 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241023-tons25 |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=23 October 2024}} Nantes{{Cite web|url=https://www.transavia.com/destinations/en-eu/france/ajaccio|title = Affordable flights to Ajaccio from €55 | website=Transavia |date = 13 March 2024}}
| Volotea | Seasonal: Bordeaux,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Brest,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Caen,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Lille,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Lyon,{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Jim |title=Volotea outlines post-COVID 19 network expansion in S20 |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/291431/volotea-outlines-post-covid-19-network-expansion-in-s20/ |website=Routesonline |access-date=25 May 2020}} Montpellier,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Nantes, Rodez,{{cite web |title=Volotea NS25 Rodez Network Additions |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/250110-v7ns25rdz |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=11 January 2025}} Strasbourg,{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Toulouse{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
}}
Statistics
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=AJA}}
Other facilities
Air Corsica has its head office on the airport property."[http://www.aircorsica.com/infos-relations-clientele-vols-sejours-corse-ccm.html#contact Relations Clientèle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818180107/http://www.aircorsica.com/infos-relations-clientele-vols-sejours-corse-ccm.html |date=18 August 2009 }}." CCM Airlines. Retrieved on 12 February 2010.
Incidents and accidents
- On 1 December 1981, Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308 crashed while on approach to this airport, killing all 180 on board.{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81 (MD-81) YU-ANA Ajaccio-Campo dell'Oro Airport (AJA)|url=https://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19811201-1|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.aviation-safety.net|publisher=Aviation Safety Network}}
Notes
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090213163755/http://www.ajaccio.aeroport.fr/aeroports/ajaccio2.php?en Ajaccio Airport CCI Ajaccio et Corse-du-Sud] {{in lang|en}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080407030126/http://www.aeroport.fr/les-aeroports-de-l-uaf/ajaccio-napoleon-bonaparte.php Aéroport d'Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte] – Union des Aéroports Français {{in lang|fr}}
- {{ASN|AJA}}
- {{NWS-current|LFKJ}}
{{Portal bar|France|Aviation}}
{{Airports in France|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ajaccio - Napoleon Bonaparte}}