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Home , Air France Flight 1611, Air Inter, Ajaccio, Chalair Aviation, Gravona, Maison Bonaparte

FEATURE FEATURE AJACCIO

French airports. The facility currently Traffic is a mix accommodates around 40% of the air of full service and traffic to and from the island, well ahead of low-cost , the other airports at , and Calvi. including easyJet flights to , Small beginnings , Commercial came to Ajaccio in Gatwick and . 1935, when regular seaplane services began connecting the ’s harbour with . The first runway dates further back to when a grass strip was marked out on one of the few flat areas close to the city – on the alluvial plain close to the mouth of the and Prunelli rivers, is a mix of stylish , dense forests not far from where the current airport is situated. The Aéroclub de la Corse set and high peaks. Luigi Vallero visited Ajaccio, on the site at the Campo dell’Oro (the field the largest of four airports on the island, situated of gold, which is thought to refer to the area originally being regarded as a rich, Bag drop desks in the Campo dell’Oro to the east of the city. cultivated ground) in 1935. and a café are Ajaccio situated in a bright Early in World War Two, a unit of the roomy hall on the et in a picturesque location on the 65,000 inhabitants. The famous French French Air Force moved into the Campo ground floor of northern shores of a gulf bearing military and political leader Napoléon dell’Oro airfield, and an additional east- the main terminal its name, the city of Ajaccio lays at Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio in 1769 – west grass runway was laid. Later in the building. the of densely wooded hills that his birthplace, , is now a conflict Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) Sflank its northern and western boundaries. public . Fighter Group GC2/7, a French unit of the A harbour visited by cruise ships and ferries With ferries taking some six hours or more Royal Air Force, started flying Supermarine from mainland lies close to the original to reach the island from the mainland, air Spitfires from the airfield. maintains Public , and the city’s maze of tiny streets, travel is an important means of reaching The weak, unpaved surface and the Service Obligation gardens and are strung out for some Corsica. Named after the island’s famous surrounding hills imposed restrictions on routes to Marseilles miles along the valley of the Gravona River. child, Aéroport d’Ajaccio Napoléon flying that meant the field could not be used and using The small, bustling commune is home to Bonaparte (AJA) lies around 3 miles (5km) by larger aircraft, and accidents became a ATR 72s including the prefecture of Corse-du-Sud and is the to the east of the city’s harbour. common occurrence. F-GRPK (c/n 727). administrative centre of the Collectivité Having handled 1,366,020 passengers In 1944, the US Army Air Force took over (All photos author Territoriale de Corse as well as being the last year, it was the busiest of the and upgraded the runway by laying metal except where largest centre on the island, with Corsican airports and ranked 13th of all grids on the surface. A North American stated)

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P-51 Mustang squadron moved in to defend Passengers disembark from A320-214 F-HZPG (c/n 5906) on April 10. Air the Consolidated B-24 Liberator Corsica’s busier routes to Paris are flown with Airbus A320s. based at other airfields in eastern Corsica. In the ensuing months improvements continued with the paving of the original airstrip, the construction of a new main north-south runway and a temporary passenger terminal. In 1957 the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie d’Ajaccio et Sarténe (the local chamber of commerce) took over the management of the airport. It proposed the construction of a new terminal and control tower complex, work on which commenced in 1958. The new facilities opened in 1961. Initially served solely by Douglas DC-3s and DC-4s, the French carrier brought the jet era to Corsica in the 1960s when it introduced Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelles on routes from Marseilles, Nice and Paris. A tragedy occurred on September 11, 1968 and the then recently founded, Constantly increasing demand for flights when Air France flight AF1611, operated by locally based CCM Airlines (Compagnie to Corsica in the mid-1990s saw Air France Caravelle F-BOHB, departed from Ajaccio Aérienne Corse Méditerranée) connected introduce 747-200s on its peak weekend and crashed on approach to Nice Côte the island to and in addition flights from Paris , and when they d’Azur Airport, taking 95 lives. to the traditional mainline services to were retired the ’s 747-400s also Paris, Marseilles and Nice. Another local put in appearances. and growth commuter airline, Kyrnair, even tried The use of such large aircraft still European package really took off in scheduled flights between the Corsican requires special authorisation, however, the 1970s and the island’s idyllic location airports, but the services didn’t last long. due to the challenging nature of the in the Mediterranean made it popular with (Not for airborne/ In 1990 the airport handled 817,256 short 7,897ft (2,407m) runway, the those who chased summer sun. operational use – passengers –arriving on aircraft ranging mountainous terrain in the surrounding The very busy peak holiday season saw Navtec Aerad) from the Kyrnair Embraer EMB-110 area and the limited parking space on increasing numbers of regular charter Bandeirante to widebodied Air France the apron. services to major European airports flown Airbus A300s deployed on the summer In 2000, 1,072,532 passengers used by French carriers Air Liberté, Corse Air, season Paris services. AJA’s facilities. The reducing number of , , Aero Service and Almost anything in the inventories of 747s in Air France’s fleet prompted the Touraine Air Transport – plus Dan Air and French airlines could make an appearance airport to evaluate its ability to handle the Britannia Airways from the UK. at AJA during that era, including 777-300ER, which the airline was planning Scheduled traffic at AJA also gradually F-28s, Caravelles, Dassault Mercures, Boeing to base at . The work included increased through the following decades. 727s and 737s and the first of the now investigating runway reinforcement and By the beginning of the 1990s Air France, pervasive Airbus A320s and ATRs. reviewing the parking area geometry

Air France -111 F-GMZA Spotting at Ajaccio (c/n 498) departs There are several locations around the afford views aircraft on final approach, while for Paris , against the airport where movements can be watched vacant land near a traffic island on the N193 stunning backdrop and photographed. On the opposite side of and N195 roads offers slightly more distant of mountainous runway from the terminal, near the end of views of the touchdown point. terrain. the now disused east-west runway, a narrow At the 02 threshold, aircraft landing or taxiing lane is close to the midpoint of 02/20. The for departure can be watched from land Air France and west-facing area offers views of traffic on the adjacent to the , although fences limit the Air Corsica jointly fly runway or parked at the terminal. opportunities for photography at ground . the Public Service Obligation route At the north end of the airfield are several Most airline traffic is concentrated in the early from Ajaccio to locations around the end of Runway 20 that and mid-morning, mid-afternoon and evening. Paris. Airbus A321- 111 F-GMZA awaits necessary to accommodate the new type. These areas include gardens, palm trees passengers prior to With runway and apron improvement works and other Mediterranean flora which bring departing on one of complete, throughput at AJA grew steadily a bright, holiday feel to the airport. these services. to reach 1,218,705 passengers in 2012, a The departure area houses 19 check-in 3.6% increase over the previous period. desks and a number of self-service kiosks. The current The increase was largely attributable to Airside, there are five boarding and terminal building is the arrival of low-cost carriers (LCCs) which concessions including bars, a shop selling modern, spacious opened new routes to such as local delicacies and a bookstall. The arrival and functional. and , generating 42,831 passengers hall has three baggage and during the year. another snack shop and bar. Like most Corsican airports, Ajaccio offers Ajaccio today crews and passengers a challenging and The current terminal covers 183,000sq ft scenic flight, especially when approaching (17,000m2) and has a capacity of 1.5mppa. from the northwest to use Runway 20. Its efficient architecture comprises a linear Descent takes place through a narrowing building with vaulted structures at each end valley that gently directs aircraft to the hosting the arrival and departure facilities. runway threshold via a gently curving

24 airports of the world www.airportsworld.com 25 FEATURE FEATURE AJACCIO AJACCIO final approach path. Once on the ground, Transavia has also recently introduced the runway ends at the beach, much like Airport Statistics Air Corsica Airbus A320-214 F-HZFM (c/n 5887) air links to , and Norwegian Air sits in the sun waiting to make another flight to St Maarten in the Caribbean. Shuttle connects Corsica to Scandinavia ICAO: LFKJ Paris. Last year was AJA’s best ever for by flying to both Gardermoen and IATA: AJA passenger throughput, a small increase Arlanda. Location: 41° 55.27’N, 8° 48.09’E of 1.2% pushing it past the previous peak This summer, other European carriers in 2013. As elsewhere in Europe, much Elevation: 17 ft (5m) offering services to Ajaccio included of the growth has come from LCCs, with Runway: 02/20 7, 897 x 120ft Thomas Cook Airlines and traffic from this sector increasing by 193% (2,407 x 45m) Airlines from Brussels; Jetairfly from in five years from 116,531 passengers in Frequencies: Approach: 127.775 Châteauroux and Châlons Vatry; Luxair 2010 to 341,995 in 2014. Although these Tower: 118.075 from ; Swiss from Geneva; and carriers have affected traditional airlines, ATIS: 126.925 SmartWings serving . Charter most of their traffic has transferred from Website: http://www.2a.cci.fr services are also provided by British the sea ferries. Airways, Darwin Airlines and Travel Service. Flights from Corsica to Marseilles, Nice and airline wet leases larger aircraft, including Although airlines dominate at Ajaccio, Paris Orly are regulated by the Continuité Boeing 747-400s, during the peak holiday there is room for the rest of aviation. Being Territoriale, a public service obligation season. a heavily forested area, the Sécurité Civile (PSO) guarantee regulated by the local Air France operates alongside Air Corsica maintains a base at the airport from where government. The agreement specifies the on the PSO route to Paris, sharing costs and its Canadair CL415 and specially modified frequencies, schedules, capacity offered revenue. The French national carrier normally Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 fire bombers and fares available to Corsican citizens, uses A320s or A321s on these routes, while operate when the risk of forest fires is high. and the PSO services are currently flown by regional services to , Bordeaux, Brive- Light and corporate aircraft also have their Air Corsica in co-operation with Air France. la-Gaillarde, Castres-Mazamet, , own area at the airport, and even helicopters Ajaccio is the main base for Air Corsica (the , -Nancy-Lorraine, Pau, , from yachts moored offshore occasionally renamed CCM Airlines), the island’s . and airports are flown drop in for fuel or to bring owners ashore. It flies the PSO routes, code-shared with Air by its regional partner Hop!, using a mix of Corsica, with its charming towns and villages, France, to Orly and Marseilles with A320s, and ATR 72s, Bombardier Regional Jets and market using A330s. to Bordeaux, Brest, , Lille, , and large park and forest, will to continue to The airport sits to Marseilles and Nice using ATR 72s. Embraer E-Jets. Meanwhile, Air Mediterranée serves Paris Nantes, Strasbourg and using alongside the blue woo tourists in the coming years, and LCCs In addition to its PSO routes, Air Corsica flies The other airline competing on the Charles de Gaulle and 125- Boeing 717s. easyJet, the airport’s of the Gulf will bring even more curious travellers to the Corsican flag year-round to destinations trunk routes is XL Airways France, has recently introduced ATR 42s on other major LCC, offers year-round services of Ajaccio on the the island. that include and Toulouse, alongside which deploys A320s on seasonal connections to and . to Paris Charles de Gaulle and seasonal Campo dell’Oro Napoléon Bonaparte Airport has spare seasonal services to Clermont-Ferrand, Liège, services to Lille and Paris Charles Since moving into the airport in the flights to EuroAirport Basel (field of gold). capacity, and seems to have a bright Nantes, Fiumicino and Toulon. The de Gaulle, although at peak times summer of 2012, Spanish LCC Volotea Freiburg and Geneva (operated by easyJet (CCI d’Ajaccio/ as a convenient stepping off point for these demand for flights to Corsica is such that the it puts additional capacity into the has added seasonal services from Ajaccio ), London Gatwick and Lyons. Corse du Sud) visitors as the traffic grows.

Work on a modern air traffic control tower Acknowledgements started in 2006 and it opened two years later. The author wishes to thank Jessica Luigi, The old structure was retained and is used as Marketing and Communication Assistant, administrative offices. Ajaccio for her help in preparing this article

Air Corsica Airbus A320s, including F-HZHM (c/n 5887), fly to Paris and Marseilles but are also used on peak-season services to other French cities.

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