Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport

Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport Aeroportul Internațional Timișoara Traian Vuia
IATA: TSR – ICAO: LRTR
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Ministry of Transport
Operator	Romanian Civil Aviation Authority
Serves	Timișoara, Romania
Location	Ghiroda, Timiș County
Focus city for	Ryanair Wizz Air
Coordinates	45°48′36″N 21°20′17″E / 45.81000°N 21.33806°E / 45.81000; 21.33806Coordinates: 45°48′36″N 21°20′17″E / 45.81000°N 21.33806°E / 45.81000; 21.33806
Website	aerotim.ro
Map
TSR Location of airport in Romania
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 11/29 3,500 11,483 Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 924,459 Aircraft movements 11,661
Sources: aerotim.ro[1]

Timișoara "Traian Vuia" International (IATA: TSR, ICAO: LRTR) is an international airport serving Timișoara, Romania. Located in the historical region of Banat, the airport is named in honour of Traian Vuia, a Romanian flight pioneer and a Timiș County native. It is the third busiest Romanian airport in terms of air traffic, and the main air transportation hub for the western part of Romania and for the Danube–Criș–Mureș–Tisa Euroregion. The airport serves as an operating base for Wizz Air and Ryanair.

History

Timișoara's first airport, Timișoara Communal Airport, was built a few kilometers away from the current airport's position, in the village of Moșnița Veche. The first aircraft landed there on 17 July 1935.^[2] The airport was rebuilt in its current location in the 1960s and became known as Giarmata Airport.^[3] The domestic terminal was opened in 1964.

In the 1980s it was designated as an international airport and was upgraded with a CAT IIIa instrument landing system.^[4] The runway was extended from 2500 to 3500 m and terminal buildings for international flights, control tower, the official hall and the administrative building were constructed. The airport was named after aeronautics pioneer Traian Vuia in 2003. The following year work to expand the international terminal commenced; and in 2006 the aircraft parking facilities were enlarged. These measures were taken to cater to increasing air traffic and the construction of a new parking lot and an access road in the airport. The extension works for the international terminal were completed in 2007. In 2010 work to expand the domestic terminal was completed.

Military use

Giarmata Airport was home to the Romanian Air Force RoAF 93rd Air Base, founded in 1953.^[3] The 93rd Air Base was disbanded in August 2004 with the MiG-21 Lancers and IAR-330 moving to Câmpia Turzii for reassignment to 71st Air Base. The air base also operated the MiG-23 Flogger, which was retired in early 2002. Over 30 MiG-23s are in storage at Timișoara Airport. Nowadays, the military section of the airport is an annex of the 71st Air Base.

Facilities

Visitors have access to numerous car rental agencies (Avis, Bavaria, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt),^[5] exchange offices and ATM machines. There are two "snack-bars", located in the public area, that serve: croissants, sandwiches and beverages. Two "duty free" shops and two self-service bars are after security check area. The airport offers a smoking lounge and VIP lounge. Free Internet is provided in all areas of the airport.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

The airport's traffic rose significantly in the past ten years. Although, it experienced e dramatic decrease after the departure of Carpatair, authorities of the airport announced that the negative trend should come to an end by 2015.

Year	Passengers (total)[9]	Change	Aircraft Movements (total)[9]	Change
2005	611,705		22,716
2006	753,934	23.2%	24,817	9.2%
2007	836,574	6.7%	25,379	2.2%
2008	890,704	6.4%	24,768	2.4%
2009	973,873	9.3%	24,815	0.1%
2010	1,138,431	16.8%	25,807	3.9%
2011	1,202,925	5.6%	23,214	8.2%
2012	1,039,109	13.7%	18,522	20.3%
2013	757,096	27.2%	11,929	35.6%
2014	736,191	2.8%	10,293	13.7%
2015	924,459	25.6%	11,661	13.3%

Traffic numbers 2016

Period	Passengers	Change (2015-2016)	Aircraft Movements	Change (2015-2016)	Cargo (tonnes)	Change (2015-2016)
January–September	798,346	12.2%	6,053	10.1%	2,808	59.1%

Top routes from Timișoara International Airport

Destination	Weekly Departures (Nov. 2015)	Weekly Departures (Nov. 2016)[10]	Airlines
Bucharest - Henri Coandă International Airport	26	46	Ryanair, TAROM
Munich	21	21	Lufthansa
London - Stansted Airport, Luton Airport	5	14	Ryanair, Wizz Air
Bergamo - Orio al Serio Airport	5	10	Ryanair, Wizz Air
Iași		7	Blue Air
Brussel-Charleroi	2	5	Ryanair, Wizz Air
Frankfurt-Hahn	2	4	Ryanair, Wizz Air

Busiest routes from Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport

City-Airport	Passengers 2014	Passenger 2015	Change	Airlines
Germany, Munich	161,548	173,751	7.6%	Lufthansa
Romania, Bucharest	154,508	160,867	4.1%	TAROM
Italy, Bergamo	55,096	82,189	49,2%	Wizz Air
United Kingdom, London	56,407	73,856	30,9%	Wizz Air

Ground transportation

The airport is located 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) to the north-east of Timișoara. The RATT Express 4 line (E4) connects the terminal to Timișoara city centre and to the railway station. Access to the airport is possible from the road DN6 (E70), through a junction near the village of Ghiroda. Taxis are available.

Trivia

• Outside the airport (on the roundabout) sits a faithful reproduction of Traian Vuia's early aircraft - a cross between a bedstead, a bicycle and an insect.

See also

• Aviation in Romania
• Transport in Romania

References

External links

Media related to Timişoara International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Google Map - Aerial View
• Accident history for TSR at Aviation Safety Network
• Ground Transportation at AirportJump.com