Gyumri Shirak International Airport

Gyumri Shirak International Airport (Armenian: Գյումրի Շիրակ Միջազգային Oդանավակայան, romanized: Gyumri Shirak Mijazgayin Odanavakayan), (IATA: LWN, ICAO: UDSG) is an international airport serving Gyumri in the province of Shirak, Armenia. It is about five kilometres (3.1 mi) from the center of Gyumri. The airport was inaugurated in 1961, and is the second largest airport in the country, after Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport.^[3]

Gyumri Shirak International Airport [1] Գյումրի Շիրակ Միջազգային Oդանավակայան [2]
IATA: LWN ICAO: UDSG
Summary
Airport type	International / Military
Owner	General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia
Operator	Armenia International Airports CJSC
Serves	Gyumri
Location	Gyumri, Shirak Province, Armenia
Elevation AMSL	5,000 ft / 1,524 m
Coordinates	40°45′01″N 43°51′33″E
Website	Shirak Airport
Map
LWN Location of airport in Armenia
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 02/20 10,564 3,220 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Number of Passengers 122,139

History

The airport terminal was built in 1982 by architects Levon Christophorian and Ruben Asratyan. However, after the earthquake in 1988, the airport became largely inoperable and practically unused until it was partially renewed in 2004. At the start of 2006, Armenia felt the importance of having a second airport, when adverse weather conditions meant that many flights had to be diverted from Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport into Gyumri's Shirak Airport. New radar systems that allow aircraft identification within a 400 km (250 mi) radius were installed in 2006.^[3] In 2007, the runway underwent major repairs and was completely re-asphalted. A new Finnish IDMAN light-signal system has been installed since, and repair works have been carried out in the ramp and special ground handling technics have been imported. In 2007 the General Department of Civil Aviation of the Government of Armenia granted Shirak airport an ICAO First Class Airport license. A new arrivals area was inaugurated on September 16, 2021, increasing the airport's capacity to 700,000 passengers per year. A brand new departures area is currently being constructed, with its completion expected in mid-2024.

Overview

Entrance to the main terminal

Runway 02 is equipped with an ILS CAT I, enabling aircraft operations in low ceiling (60 meters) and visibility (800 meters).^[4] The airport is also equipped with a new air traffic control tower and a boiler room, as well as a new arrivals area including five passport control booths and an additional baggage carousel. The airport features a Dufry duty-free shop after security in the departures area. Runway resurfacing works were completed on September 16, 2021, as part of a large-scale modernisation program for the airport.

The airport also serves as an airbase for the Armenian Air Force, which has a large maintenance and operations base with several combat and training aircraft stationed at the north-east of the airfield.

Arrivals Area

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Pobeda	Moscow–Vnukovo

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at LWN airport. See Wikidata query.

2000s-2010s
Year	2005[5]	2006[6]	2007[6]	2008[7]	2016	2017	2018	2019
Departing passenger traffic	18,800	24,011	11,339	12,911	6,593	52,828	83,574	74,103
Arriving passenger traffic	27,300	22,399	7,291	9357	5,828	52,836	82,372	73,433
Total passenger traffic	46,100	46,410	18,630	22,268	12,421	105,664	165,946	147,536
Exported freight (tons)	20	3.1	N/A	2.0	4	1.3	0.3	N/A
Imported freight (tons)	126	15	6.2	62.6	0.2	1	0.3	N/A
Total freight (tons)	146	18.1	6.2	64.5	4.2	2.3	0.6	N/A
Aircraft movements (departure or landing)	472	355	166	144	54	372	488	453

2020s
Year	2020[8]	2021[9]
Total passenger traffic	35,491	122,139
Departing passenger traffic	17,981	68,071
Arriving passenger traffic	17,510	54,068
Total freight (tons)	N/A	N/A
Exported freight (tons)	N/A	N/A
Imported freight (tons)	N/A	N/A
Aircraft movements (departure and landing)	129	1,094

See also

• Transport in Armenia
• List of the busiest airports in Armenia
• List of the busiest airports in the former USSR

References

1. "Gyumri Shirak Airport". worldairportcodes. ICAO. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
2. "Gyumri Shirak Airport". worldairportcodes. ICAO. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
3. "Հայաստանի Հանրապետության քաղաքացիական ավիացիայի կոմիտե". www.aviation.am. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
4. "armats". www.armats.com. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-05-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia - 2005-2006 Statistics
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-05-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia - 2006-2007 Statistics
7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-05-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia - 2008-2009 Statistics
8. "Statistics". Civil Aviation Committee of Armenia. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
9. ""Շիրակով" մեկնածները եկածներից ավելի շատ են եղել այնքան, որքան Սիսիանի բնակչությունն է". 4 February 2022.

External links

Media related to Shirak Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia - airport information (in English)