Graz Airport
{{Short description|International airport in Styria, Austria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Graz Airport
| nativename = Flughafen Graz
| image = Graz Airport Logo.svg
| image-width = 250
| image2 = Aerial image of the Graz airport.jpg
| image2-width = 250
| IATA = GRZ
| ICAO = LOWG
| pushpin_map = Austria
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Austria
| pushpin_label = GRZ
| pushpin_label_position = right
| type = Public
| owner = Holding Graz - Kommunale Dienstleistungen GmbH (93.9 %)
| operator = Flughafen Graz Betriebs GmbH
| city-served = Graz
| location = Abtissendorf, Feldkirchen and Thalerhof, Kalsdorf, Styria, Austria
| elevation-f = 1,115
| elevation-m = 340
| coordinates = {{Coord|46|59|35|N|015|26|21|E|type:airport_region:AT|display=inline,title|name=Graz Airport}}
| website = [https://graz-airport.at/en/ graz-airport.at/en/]
| metric-elev = Y
| metric-rwy = Y
| r1-number = 16L/34R
| r1-length-f = 2,100
| r1-length-m = 640
| r1-surface = Grass
| r2-number = 16C
| r2-length-f = 8,989
| r2-length-m = 2,740
| r2-surface = Asphalt
| r3-number = 34C
| r3-length-f = 9,842
| r3-length-m = 3,000
| r3-surface = Asphalt
| r4-number = 16R/34L
| r4-length-f = 2,493
| r4-length-m = 760
| r4-surface = Grass
| stat-year = 2024
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 819,273
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 10,251
| stat3-header = Cargo (metric tons)
| stat3-data = 18,674
| footnotes = Sources: Austrian AIP at EUROCONTROL,[http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/publicuser/protect/pu/main.jsp EAD Basic] Passengers, movements, cargo 1960 – 2023.{{cite web |title=Passengers, movements, cargo 1960 – 2023 [sic] |url=https://graz-airport.at/en/company/ |website=Graz Airport |publisher=Flughafen Graz Betriebs GmbH |access-date=14 January 2025 |location=Feldkirchen bei Graz}}
}}
Graz Airport {{Airport codes|GRZ|LOWG}}, known as Flughafen Graz in German, is a primary international airport serving southern Austria. It is located near Graz, the second-largest city in Austria, in the municipalities of Feldkirchen and Kalsdorf, {{convert|5|NM|abbr=on|lk=in}} south of Graz city centre.
Location
Graz Airport spans the village of Abtissendorf in Feldkirchen municipality and the cadastral community of Thalerhof in Kalsdorf municipality. The airport terminal is located in Abtissendorf.
History
=Early years=
Construction of the airport began in 1913 with the construction of a grass runway and the first hangars; the airport saw its first flight in 1914. It was the site of Thalerhof internment camp, run by the governments of Franz Joseph I of Austria and Charles I of Austria. The first domestic passenger flight in Austria in 1925 serviced the route Vienna–Graz–Klagenfurt. In 1930 Yugoslav flag carrier Aeroput started regular flights linking Yugoslav capital Belgrade with Vienna with stops in Zagreb and Graz.[http://www.europeanairlines.no/drustvo-za-vazdusni-saobracaj-a-d-aeroput-1927-1948/ Drustvo za Vazdusni Saobracaj A D – Aeroput] at europeanairlines.no{{cite magazine|magazine=Flight International|title=World Airlines Directory |date=10 August 1944|page=150|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1944/1944%20-%201652.html?search=aeroput}}
In 1937, construction of a terminal building began due to increase in the number of passengers.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
After the end of the Second World War, Austria was forbidden to possess either a military or civilian aviation fleet. After the reopening of Austrian airspace in 1951, a new concrete runway of {{convert|1500|m|0}} was built in Graz. The runway was extended to {{convert|2000|m|0}} in 1962. The route network grew quickly and the first international scheduled flight started in 1966 with flights to Frankfurt.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
In 1969, the runway was extended again, this time to {{convert|2500|m|0}}, and construction of a new terminal building became necessary. Highlights were visits by Concorde in 1981 and by a Boeing 747 on the occasion of the airport's 70th anniversary in 1984. Ten years later, another new building was constructed with a maximum annual capacity of 750,000 passengers. The latest extension of the runway was to {{convert|3000|m|0}} in 1998.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
=Development in the 2000s=
In early 21st century, the number of passengers exceeded the 750,000 mark and in 2004 was just below 900,000. This led to the final extension of the current terminal building in 2003 and the construction of a second terminal in 2005.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
In summer 2015, the airport received two new routes to European hubs: Swiss International Air Lines to Zurich{{cite web|url=http://airlineroute.net/2014/10/07/lx-europe-s15update2/|website= Airline route|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011084711/http://airlineroute.net/2014/10/07/lx-europe-s15update2/ |archive-date=11 October 2014 |title=[Update 2] SWISS New European Routes for S15|date=7 Oct 2014}} and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul Atatürk Airport.{{cite press release|url=http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-int/corporate/news/news/turkish-airlines-launches-a-new-route-to-graz|title=Turkish Airlines Launches a New Route to Graz|work=Turkish Airlines|access-date=18 March 2015}} Though Turkish Airlines discontinued their services to Istanbul in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Swiss International Air Lines announced it would increase the frequency of flights between Zürich and Graz in summer 2023.{{cite web|url=https://aviation.direct/sommer-2023-swiss-stockt-graz-zuerich-auf|title=Summer 2023: SWISS increases Zürich-Graz|date=21 November 2022 |language=German}}
In December 2022, Eurowings announced that it will establish an additional base at Graz Airport, starting in 2023. This major commitment to Graz features nine new routes, with two of them linking Graz to Berlin and Hamburg and the other ones being leisure routes. Furthermore, the overall frequencies of already existing services to Düsseldorf and Palma de Mallorca will be enhanced.{{cite web |last1=Gruber |first1=Jan |title=Eurowings establishes base at Graz Airport (Eurowings errichtet Basis am Flughafen Graz) |url=https://aviation.direct/eurowings-errichtet-basis-am-flughafen-graz |website=aviation.direct |access-date=6 December 2022 |date=6 December 2022}} Yet with all these new routes, the route from Graz to Stuttgart, which was established in 2021, was discontinued in April of 2023.{{cite web|url=https://airserviceone.com/eurowings-opens-graz-base-becoming-the-airports-largest-carrier-in-s23/|title=Eurowings opens Graz base, becoming the airport's largest carrier in S23|date=8 May 2023 }}
In 2024, Graz had recovered approximately 79 percent of its passenger numbers compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facilities
=Terminal and apron=
The passenger terminal building features shops, travel agencies, a restaurant and cafés, conference facilities, a bank, car rental and service counters. The apron provides stands for aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 747 or An-124. There are no jet bridges, mobile stairways are used for boarding. The airport has a VIP lounge for business class customers and customers with priority status.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
=Freight=
The airport is equipped with cargo handling facilities including storage and customs. While there are no scheduled cargo flights to the airport, charter flights are regularly conducted, especially for time-critical cargo like automotive parts.[https://graz-airport.at/en/business/cargo/ graz-airport.at - Cargo] retrieved 2 April 2025
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines offer regular scheduled, seasonal, and charter flights at Graz Airport:{{cite web |title=Summer flight schedule 2024 |url=https://graz-airport.at/en/passengers/passengers-destinations/flight-schedule/ |website=Graz Airport |publisher=Flughafen Graz Betriebs GmbH |access-date=6 August 2024 |location=Feldkirchen bei Graz}}[https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-graz-grz flightconnections.com - Flights from Graz (GRZ)] retrieved 7 June 2025
{{Airport-dest-list
| Air Dolomiti | Frankfurt,{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240816-enlhcodeshare | title=Air Dolomiti Expands Lufthansa Codeshare in NW24 }} Munich{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240816-enlhcodeshare | title=Air Dolomiti Expands Lufthansa Codeshare in NW24 }}
| Austrian Airlines | Vienna{{cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240213-osns24at7|title=Austrian Outlines Leased BRA ATR72 NS24 Operations|website=Aeroroutes}}
| Avanti Air | Seasonal charter: Calvi,{{cite web|url=https://www.flughafen-graz.at/fileadmin/user_upload/flugplan_Vorschau/Vorschau_Sommerflugplan2022.pdf|title=SOMMERFLUGPLAN 2022|website=Flughafen Graz|lang=de|date=27 March 2022}} Kefalonia,{{cn|date=May 2025}} Paros,{{cite news | url=https://aviation.direct/en/summer-2022-springer-travel-flies-with-austrian-airlines-and-avanti-air | title=Summer 2022: Springer Reisen flies with Austrian Airlines and Avanti Air | newspaper=Aviation.direct | date=15 February 2022 }} Skiathos
| Corendon Airlines| Seasonal: Heraklion{{cite web | url=https://aviation.direct/en/graz-eight-line-destinations-and-new-holiday-destinations-in-summer-2022 | title=Graz: Eight scheduled destinations and new holiday destinations in summer 2022 | date=February 2022 }}
| Eurowings | Berlin,{{cite web |url=https://www.kleinezeitung.at/wirtschaft/6224314/Ab-Sommerflugplan_Neue-Direktfluege_Eurowings-verbindet-Graz-mit |title=Neue Direktflüge: Eurowings verbindet Graz mit Hamburg und Berlin |website=Kleine Zeitung |date=6 December 2022 |language=de}} Düsseldorf,{{cite web|url=https://aviation.direct/aua-und-eurowings-tauschen-strecken-im-oesterreich-deutschland-verkehr |website=aviation.direct|lang=de|date= 28 September 2021|title=AUA und Eurowings tauschen Strecken im Österreich-Deutschland-Verkehr}} Hamburg
Seasonal: Chania, Corfu, Gran Canaria,{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230501-ewnw23es|title=Eurowings NW23 Spain Network Additions|website=AeroRoutes}} Heraklion,{{cite web |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241023-ewns25 |title=EUROWINGS NS25 NETWORK ADDITIONS – 23OCT24}} Hurghada,{{Cite web|last1=Liu|first1=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230214-ewns23|title=Eurowings NS23 Network Update – 12FEB23|website=Aeroroutes.com|date=14 February 2023|accessdate=5 January 2025|language=en-ca}} Karpathos[https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-grz-to-aok flightconnections.com - Flights from Graz to Karpathos] retrieved 2 April 2025 Kos, Larnaca, Palma de Mallorca,[https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-grz-to-pmi flightconnections.com - Flights from GRZ to PMI] retrieved 7 June 2025 Rhodes,{{cite web|url=https://www.eurowings.com/de/entdecken/reiseziele/neue-strecken.html|date=6 December 2022|title=New Routes and Destinations}} Tenerife–South
| Pegasus Airlines | Istanbul–Sabiha Gökçenhttps://havasosyalmedya.com/pegasus-3-yeni-destinasyon-duyurdu/
Seasonal: Antalya{{cite web |title=Pegasus NS25 Network Additions – 22DEC24 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241227-pcns25 |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=27 December 2024}}
| SunExpress | Antalya{{cite web | url=https://aviation.direct/sommer-2024-sunexpress-kehrt-nach-graz-zurueck | title=Sommer 2024: Sunexpress kehrt nach Graz zurück | date=11 August 2023 }}
| {{nowrap|Swiss International Air Lines}} | Zürich{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241030-lxnw24eu|title=SWISS NW24 Europe Frequency Changes – 27OCT24|website=Aeroroutes|publisher=Aeroroutes|accessdate=30 October 2024}}
}}
Incidents and accidents
File:16-07-05-Flughafen-Graz-RR2 0371.jpg
File:16-07-05-Flughafen-Graz-RR2 0342.jpg
- On 23 December 2024, Swiss International Air Lines Flight 1885, an Airbus A220-300 registered as HB-JCD, flying from Bucharest, Romania, to Zurich, Switzerland, diverted to Graz Airport due to smoke development in the cabin.{{Cite web |last=SDA |date=2024-12-30 |title=Nach Notlandung in Graz: Swiss-Flugbegleiter weiter in kritischem Zustand |url=https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/nach-notlandung-in-graz-swiss-flugbegleiter-weiter-in-kritischem-zustand-id20454576.html |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Blick |language=de-CH}} The aircraft was evacuated using the emergency slides,{{Cite web |last=Ranter |first=Harro |title=Accident Airbus A220-300 HB-JCD, Monday 23 December 2024 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/468093 |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=ASN}} and 17 passengers and 5 crew members were hospitalized. SWISS announced on 30 December 2024 that one of the flight attendants had died in the hospital.{{Cite news |date=31 December 2024 |title=Swiss cabin crew member dies after flight with smoke problems |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-cabin-crew-member-dies-after-flight-with-smoke-problems-2024-12-30/ |access-date=31 December 2024}}
Ground transport
=Road=
=Rail=
The airport is within walking distance (approximately 420 metres, seven minutes on foot) of the Graz-Feldkirchen Airport Railway Station (Flughafen Graz-Feldkirchen Bahnhof). Line S5 (Graz to Spielfeld-Straß) connects the airport to Graz. The journey from the Graz-Feldkirchen Airport Railway Station to the Graz Central Station takes eleven minutes.[https://graz-airport.at/en/passengers/at-the-airport/to-and-from/ graz-airport.at - Getting to and from] retrieved 2 April 2025
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline|Graz Airport}}
- {{Official website}}
- [https://verkehrsauskunft.verbundlinie.at/index_en.html Styrian Public Transport Association], route planner for public transport on the ground
- {{NWS-current|LOWG}}
- {{ASN|GRZ}}
{{Portalbar|Austria|Aviation}}
{{Airports in Austria}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports established in 1914