Leknes Airport
{{Short description|Airport in Vestvågøy, Norway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Leknes Airport
| nativename = {{smaller|{{lang|no|Leknes lufthavn}}}}
| nativename-a =
| nativename-r =
| image = Avinor logo purple.svg
| image-width = 150px
| image2 = Leknes lufthavn.jpg
| image2-width = 300
| caption =
| IATA = LKN
| ICAO = ENLK
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = Avinor
| city-served =
| location = Leknes
| elevation-f = 81
| elevation-m = 24
| coordinates = {{coord|68|09|09|N|13|36|34|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Norway
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label = LKN
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_caption =
| website = {{URL|https://avinor.no/en/airport/leknes-airport/|avinor.no}}
| metric-elev = y
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 02/20
| r1-length-f = 3511
| r1-length-m = 1070
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| stat-year = 2014
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 101,757
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 5,839
| stat3-header = Cargo (tonnes)
| stat3-data = 12
| footnotes = Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.mynewsdesk.com/material/document/42080/download?resource_type=resource_document |title=Månedsrapport |publisher=Avinor |format=XLS |access-date=13 January 2015 |year=2015 |archive-date=17 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217002119/http://d20tdhwx2i89n1.cloudfront.net/raw/upload/t_attachment/wsdna9wtulvazbig7cqb.xlsx |url-status=dead }}
{{cite web
|title = Airport information for ENLK
|publisher = Avinor
|url = https://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/current/AIP/AD/ENLK/EN_AD_2_ENLK_en.pdf
|access-date = 9 April 2012
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120730014027/https://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/current/AIP/AD/ENLK/EN_AD_2_ENLK_en.pdf
|archive-date = 30 July 2012
}}
}}
Leknes Airport ({{langx|no|Leknes lufthavn}}; {{Airport codes|LKN|ENLK|p=n}}) is a regional airport serving the town of Leknes and the surrounding areas in the Lofoten archipelago in Nordland county, Norway. The airport is located just outside Leknes in Vestvågøy Municipality. The European route E10 highway passes along the east side of the airport. In 2014, Leknes Airport had 101,757 passengers. It is operated by Avinor.
Service
The airport is served by Widerøe with Dash 8 aircraft connecting the community to Bodø and other communities in Nordland. The routes are operated on public service obligation with the Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communication. Flights to Oslo via Bodø take about 3 hours with connecting routes Widerøe/Scandinavian Airlines.
Airlines and destinations
{{Airport-dest-list
| Widerøe | Bodø,{{Cite journal|author=|journal=OAG Flight Guide Worldwide|title=Bodo|date=November 2023|volume=25|issue=5|publisher=OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited|publication-place=Luton, United Kingdom|issn=1466-8718|language=en|pages=134}} Oslo,[http://www.wideroe.no/Nyhetsarkiv/Tidenes-storsatsning-p-direkteruter-til-Lofoten-og-Helgeland/FECB24C1-8926-4669-921E-CB6BD2B86293/1 Tidenes storsatsning] wideroe.no {{dead link|date=December 2023}} Røst, Stokmarknes,{{cite web|url=http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/271208/widere-adds-new-sectors-in-s17/|title=Widerøe adds new sectors in S17|website=Routes online |first=Jim |last=Liu |date=3 February 2017|access-date=3 February 2017}} Svolvær,[http://www.wideroe.no/?language=en wideroe.no] Tromsø{{cite web |title=Widerøe Resumes Tromsø – Leknes Sector in NS25 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241205-wfns25toslkn |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=5 December 2024}}
}}
Statistics
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=LKN}}
Ground transportation
The airport is located approximately {{convert|1|km}} from the town center. There are no buses, but taxis are available.
Future
Avinor is planning building a new primary airport to serve Lofoten and possibly also Vesterålen. The region wants to be more attractive on the conference market which would create more job opportunities outside the tourist season, and there is a need to adapt airports to modern aircraft types.
Two locations have been put forward, Gimsøya ({{coord|68|19|10|N|14|9|30|E|display=inline|region:NO_type:landmark}}) and Hadselsanden ({{coord|68|25|40|N|14|37|30|E|display=inline|region:SE_type:landmark}}). The former could replace Leknes Airport and Svolvær Airport, the latter could also replace Stokmarknes Airport. As both alternatives imply direct services to Oslo, the leakage to Evenes would be reduced.{{cite web|url=http://www.avinor.no/tridionimages/NTP%202014%20-%202023%20Avinor%20Hovedrapport_tcm181-141202.pdf |title=Nasjonal transportplan 2014–2023: Framtidsrettet utvikling av lufthavnstrukturen |publisher=Avinor |date=15 February 2012 |language=Norwegian |pages=46–48 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927063300/http://www.avinor.no/tridionimages/NTP%202014%20-%202023%20Avinor%20Hovedrapport_tcm181-141202.pdf |access-date=23 September 2013 }} However weather recordings has shown that Gimsøy, located at the big ocean, is too windy and foggy for an airport.[http://www.love24.no/gimsoya-tilfredsstillende-flyplasslokasjon-lofoten/ Gimsøya ikke tilfredsstillende som flyplasslokasjon i Lofoten] (Lofotposten 23. November 2016)
Therefore, the main option now is to extend the runway and terminal of Leknes airport, considering that Svolvær airport has no room for runway extension.[https://www.lofotposten.no/fly/samferdsel/lofoten/avinor-om-flyplass-i-lofoten-dette-er-den-beste-plasseringen-for-en-forlengelse/s/5-29-313099 Avinor om flyplass i Lofoten: – Dette er den beste plasseringen for en forlengelse] (in Norwegian) Lofotposten 31 August 2017{{cite news |url=https://www.nrk.no/nordland/avinor-vil-bygge-ny-storflyplass-pa-leknes-i-lofoten-_-ikke-i-svolvaer-eller-stokmarknes-1.14872677 |title=Vil bruke 6,4 milliarder på ny flyplass og ny vei i Lofoten |publisher=NRK |date=2020-01-23 |access-date=2021-09-07 |trans-title=Want to spend 6.4 billion on new airport and new road in Lofoten }} No such project is part of the Norwegian National Transport Plan for 2022–2033.
A large road project, which will reduce the drive time between Svolvær and Evenes by 35 minutes to below two hours, will be built 2023–2028.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vegvesen.no/vegprosjekter/prosjekt/halogalandsvegen/|title=E10/rv. 85 Tjeldsund–Gullesfjordbotn–Langvassbukt – (OPS Hålogalandsvegen)|date=3 October 2023|website=Statens vegvesen|accessdate=21 December 2023}} This might make Harstad-Evenes Airport airport more attractive than Leknes for travel between Oslo and Svolvær, if Leknes is not extended to full length for jet aircraft.
References
{{Commons category|Leknes Airport}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Airports in Norway}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports in the Arctic
Category:1972 establishments in Norway
Category:Airports established in 1972
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