Debrecen International Airport
{{redirect|LHDC|the codec|LHDC (codec)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Debrecen International Airport
| nativename = {{lang|hu|Debreceni nemzetközi repülőtér}}
| nativename-a =
| nativename-r =
| image = Debrecen-apt.jpg
| image-width = 250
| caption =
| IATA = DEB
| ICAO = LHDC
| type =
| owner =
| operator = Airport Debrecen Kft.
| city-served = Debrecen, Hungary
| location =
| elevation-f =
| elevation-m = 110
| metric-elev = y
| coordinates = {{coord|47|29|20|N|021|36|55|E|region:HU-DE|display=inline,title}}
| website = [http://www.debrecenairport.com/?lang=en debrecenairport.com]
| pushpin_map = Hungary
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Hungary
| pushpin_label = DEB
| pushpin_label_position = top
| r1-number = 04R/22L
| r1-length-f =
| r1-length-m = 2,500
| r1-surface = Concrete
| metric-rwy = y
| h1-number = H1
| h1-length-f =
| h1-length-m = 40
| h1-surface = Asphalt
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 306 095
| stat-year = 2023
| footnotes = Source: Hungarian AIP at EUROCONTROL
| stat2-header = {{nowrap|Passenger change 2022–2023}}
| stat2-data = {{increase}} 23.30%
| stat3-header =
| stat3-data =
| stat4-header =
| stat4-data =
| hub = Wizz Air (until 27 October 2024)
}}
Debrecen International Airport[http://www.debrecenairport.com/?lang=en debrecenairport.com] retrieved 18 January 2023 {{airport codes|DEB|LHDC}} is the international airport of Debrecen in the Hajdú-Bihar County of Hungary. It is the second largest airport in Hungary, after Budapest and ahead of Hévíz–Balaton. Debrecen is the second largest city in Hungary, after Budapest and ahead of Szeged. DEB is located {{convert|5|km|abbr=on}} south southwest[http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/publicuser/protect/pu/main.jsp EAD Basic] of the city center and also easily accessible to adjacent regions of Romania and Ukraine.
History
=Foundation and early years=
The history of Debrecen Airport goes back to the early 20th Century. The first official regular flight carrying mail took off in 1930. Subsequently, the airport served sport and military purposes. From 1930, it had remarkable domestic traffic serving flights from Debrecen to Budapest and to other major cities in Hungary. During World War II it was the base of a Hungarian bombing squad.
Between 1946 and 1968, Debrecen Airport functioned also as an emergency airfield for Budapest Airport. Following World War II, the Soviet air force had control over the airport until 1990. The political transition brought the revival of the airport and international civilian traffic was launched together with sports aviation.
In May 1991, Soviet troops vacated the airport and handed it over to the Hungarian government. In 1994, the Debrecen Municipal Government realized the need to develop the airport and included it in its development plan. The city purchased the airport and has been steadily developing it.
=Development since 2000=
By 2004, the city of Debrecen had invested 3.5 billion forints to purchase, operate, and continually develop Debrecen Airport.
On 18 June 2012, Wizz Air launched its scheduled service between Debrecen and London-Luton, initially with 3 weekly flights. In 2012–2013, Tatarstan Airlines operated a bi-weekly flight to Moscow-Domodedovo. After the disaster of Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 which forced Tatarstan Airlines into bankruptcy, the route was taken over by UTair Aviation. In 2014, due to souring Russia–European Union relations, a number of punitive sanctions were implemented vice versa that forced UTair to cancel the flight.{{cite web | url=https://debrecensun.hu/local/2012/07/26/charter-flights-to-go-between-debrecen-and-moscow/ | title=Charter flights to go between Debrecen and Moscow | date=26 July 2012 }}
In 2015, Wizz Air established a cadet pilot school at the airport[http://www.pilotcareernews.com/wizz-air-to-partner-with-hungarian-flight-school/ Wizz Air to partner with Hungarian flight school] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702101258/http://www.pilotcareernews.com/wizz-air-to-partner-with-hungarian-flight-school/ |date=2 July 2015 }}, pilotcareernews.com, 23 September 2014 under the company Pharma-Flight Kft which also researches and produces pharmaceutical products for flight staff. Wizz Air in 2015 announced they would base one Airbus A320 at Debrecen.[https://wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen320 Wizz Air announces 22nd base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923225039/https://wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen320 |date=23 September 2015 }}, wizzair.com, 21 May 2015.
The construction of a new "innovation and incubation centre" at the airport which would host the new terminal on its ground floor began in June 2015.[http://www.debrecenairport.com/2015/06/cornerstone-laying-ceremony-of-debrecen-airport-development-project/ Cornerstone laying ceremony of Debrecen Airport development project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213210/http://www.debrecenairport.com/2015/06/cornerstone-laying-ceremony-of-debrecen-airport-development-project/ |date=23 September 2015 }}, debrecenairport.com, 16 June 2015 and scheduled to open in 2017.
In July 2024, Wizz Air announced it would close its Debrecen base by October 2024, leading to the cancellation of most routes.[https://airportal.hu/bezarja-debreceni-bazisat-osszel-a-wizz-air/ airportal.hu] (Hungarian) retrieved 10 July 2024
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines operate regular year-round and seasonal services at the airport:[https://www.debrecenairport.com/en/destinations debrecenairport.com - Destinations] retrieved 9 September 2020
{{Airport-dest-list
| Israir | Tel Aviv (begins {{date|2025-4-24}}){{cite news |last1=אזולאי |first1=איתי |title=ישראייר לא עוצרת: משיקה טיסות לשלושה יעדים חדשים |url=https://passportnews.co.il/article/194551 |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=פספורטניוז |publisher=PassportNews |date=19 January 2025 |language=he}}
| Lufthansa |Munich[https://ungarnheute.hu/news/lufthansa-fuehrt-fluege-mit-groesserer-kapazitaet-zwischen-debrezin-und-muenchen-durch-80491/ ungarnheute.hu] (German) 22 April 2024{{Cite web|last1=Liu|first1=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241030-lhnw24eu|title=Lufthansa NW24 Europe Frequency Changes – 27OCT24|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=30 October 2024|accessdate=1 February 2025|language=en-ca}}
| Smartwings | Seasonal charter: Barcelona (begins 12 June 2025),{{Cite web|last1=Liu|first1=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/250128-7ons25|title=Smartwings Hungary NS25 Network Additions|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=28 January 2025|accessdate=1 February 2025|language=en-ca}}{{cite web | url=https://dehir.hu/debrecen/uj-legijaratokat-indithat-nyaron-debrecenbol-a-smartwings/2025/01/28/ | title=Dehir – 28JAN26 }} Chania,{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230331-7ons23 | title=Smartwings Hungary NS23 Charter Network Additions }} Tirana (begins 2 June 2025){{cite web | url=https://dehir.hu/debrecen/uj-legijaratokat-indithat-nyaron-debrecenbol-a-smartwings/2025/01/28/ | title=Dehir – 28JAN26 }}
| Universal Air | Leipzig, Malta{{cite web |title=Málta-Debrecen-Lipcse járatot jelentett be a Universal Air|url=https://airportal.hu/malta-debrecen-lipcse-jaratot-jelentett-be-a-universal-air/ |date=13 March 2024 }}
| Wizz Air |London–Luton{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240716-w6nw24 | title=Wizz Air NW24 Network Additions – 14JUL24 }}
Seasonal: Larnaca
|GeoSky=Tibilis}}
Statistics
=Top destinations=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 87.5%" width= align=
|+ Busiest routes (2019) | ||
| style="background:lightgrey;"
! Rank | Airport | Passengers handled 2018/19 |
| 1 | {{flagicon|UK}} London-Luton | 154,819 |
| 2 | {{flagicon|The Netherlands}} Eindhoven | 48,743 |
| 3 | {{flagicon|Israel}} Tel Aviv | 44,671 |
| 4 | {{flagicon|France}} Paris-Beauvais | 44,154 |
| 5 | {{flagicon|Germany}} Dortmund | 38,234 |
| 6 | {{flagicon|Spain}} Barcelona | 33,801 |
| 7 | {{flagicon|UK}} Doncaster/Sheffield | 32,703 |
| 8 | {{flagicon|Russia}} Moscow-Vnukovo | 31,659 |
| 9 | {{flagicon|Italy}} Milan-Malpensa | 30,562 |
| 10 | {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Basel/Mulhouse | 28,769 |
=Annual passenger numbers=
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=DEB}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; width:250px ;font-size: 95%" align=
|+ | ||
| style="background:#CCDDEE;"| | style="background:#CCDDEE;"|Passengers handled{{efn|1=Number of passengers including domestic, international and transit}} | style="background:#CCDDEE;"|Passenger % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004
|14,476 || n/a | ||
| 2005
|33,119 || {{0}}128.78% {{increase}} | ||
| 2006
|36,939 || {{0}}11.53% {{increase}} | ||
| 2007
|42,900 || {{0}}16.13% {{increase}} | ||
| 2008
|42,650 || {{0}}−0.58% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2009
|25,060 || {{0}}−41.24% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2010
|24,415 || {{0}}−2.57% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2011
|19,135 || {{0}}−21.62% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2012
|47,746 || {{0}}149.52% {{increase}} | ||
| 2013
|129,231 || {{0}}170.66% {{increase}} | ||
| 2014
|145,709 || {{0}}12.75% {{increase}} | ||
| 2015
|172,212 || {{0}}18.19% {{increase}} | ||
| 2016
|284,965 || {{0}}65.47% {{increase}} | ||
| 2017
| 318,184 || {{0}}11,01% {{increase}} | ||
| 2018
| 381,391 || {{0}}19.87% {{increase}} | ||
| 2019
| 601,236 || {{0}}57.64% {{increase}} | ||
| 2020
| 122,742 || {{0}}-79.58% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2021
| 75,716 || {{0}}-38.31% {{decrease}} | ||
| 2022
| 249,448 || {{0}}229.45% {{increase}} | ||
| 2023
| 306,131 || {{0}}22.72% {{increase}} | ||
| colspan="5" style="text-align:right;"| Source: KSH,{{cite web |url=http://statinfo.ksh.hu/Statinfo/themeSelector.jsp?page=2&szst=ODMJ |title=Repülőterek forgalmi adatai (2004-2015) |accessdate=2016-04-15 |publisher=KSH|language=Hungarian}} OpenPR{{cite web |url=http://www.openpr.com/news/405695/RECORD-PASSENGER-NUMBERS-AT-DEBRECEN-AIRPORT-IN-2016.html |title=RECORD PASSENGER NUMBERS AT DEBRECEN AIRPORT IN 2016 |date=10 January 2017 |accessdate=2017-02-08 |publisher=OpenPR|language=English}} |
Ground transportation
=Bus=
File:2016 Volvo Alfa Cívis 12 Segner tér NRV-776.jpg
Buses Airport1 and Airport2 are operated by the local public transport company, called Debreceni Közlekedési Vállalat (DKV). Airport1 runs between the airport and the main train station of Debrecen, where connections are available to local, regional and international buses, trams and trains, while Airport2 runs between the Airport and the northern end of the city. The schedule of the buses are matched with the departure and arrival times of the planes at the airport, serving all inbound and outbound flights and can be used with any of the regular DKV tickets or passes.[http://www.dkv.hu/content/press/press_12.pdf Módosul a reptéri közösségi közlekedés, elindul az éjszakai villamos-közlekedés], dkv.hu, 15 December 2015
A direct bus connection was established in March 2016 between Nagyvárad (Oradea) and Debrecen International Airport. The schedule is matched with the arrival and departure times of the planes.
=Train=
The airport has a recently reconstructed direct rail connection, but it is used for freight moving only. It will be made suitable for passenger traffic only if there is a reasonable demand for the construction sometime in the future.[http://www.dehir.hu/debrecen/papp-laszlo-ha-elkeszul-a-fopalyaudvar-osszekotjuk-a-repuloterrel-videoval/2015/11/13/ Papp László: ha elkészül a főpályaudvar, összekötjük a repülőtérrel – videóval], dehir.hu, 13 November 2015
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.debrecenairport.com/?lang=en Official website]
- {{NWS-current|LHDC}}
- {{ASN|DEB}}
{{Portalbar|Hungary|Aviation}}
{{Airports in Hungary}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Transport in Debrecen
Category:Former Soviet military air bases in Hungary
Category:Hungary–Soviet Union relations
Category:Buildings and structures in Debrecen
Category:Military installations of the Soviet Union in other countries