Airport St. Paul the Apostle

Infobox Airport
name = Ohrid Airport
nativename = Аеродром Охрид
nativename-a = Aerodrom Ohrid


image-width = 74px
caption =
IATA = OHD
ICAO = LWOH
type = Civil
owner-oper = PEAS Macedonia
city-served = Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
location = Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
elevation-f = 2,313
elevation-m = 705
coordinates = Coord|41|10|48|N|020|44|32|E|type:airport
website = [http://ohd.airports.com.mk/ ohd.airports.com.mk]
r1-number = 02/20
r1-length-f = 8,366
r1-length-m = 2,550
r1-surface = Asphalt

Ohrid Airport [WAD|LWOH] Airport codes|OHD|LWOH ( _mk. Аеродром Охрид, "Aerodrom Ohrid"), or Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport [ [http://ohd.airports.com.mk Name as used at the official site] ] (Macedonian: Аеродром Охрид "Св. Апостол Павле", "Aerodrom Ohrid "Sv. Apostol Pavle"), is an airport in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. The airport is located 9 km (6 mi) from Ohrid, along the Struga-Kičevo-Skopje motorway.

In December 2006 the government of the Republic of Macedonia announced plans to rename the airports, Skopje Airport after "Skopje Alexander the Great Airport" and Ohrid Airport after "Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport", sparking a renewed diplomatic spat with Greece, which considers Alexander the Great (see "Macedonia naming dispute") [cite news |http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_29/12/2006_78322|title=FYROM approved (yesterday) the renaming of its second international airport in Ohrid as “Saint Paul” |publisher=Kathmerini |date=2006-12-29 |accessdate=2006-12-26 |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_29/12/2006_78322] part of its own heritage.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines will fly to and from Ohrid Airport in the month of September 2008 [ [http://ohd.airports.com.mk/default.aspx?ItemID=409 Ð?еñ€Ð¾Ð´Ñ€Ð¾Ð¼ Оñ…рид, Ðœð°Ðºðµð´Ð¾Ð½Ð¸Ñ˜Ð° ] ] :
* Adria Airways (Ljubljana)
* Airlift Service (Sofia)
* MAT Macedonian Airlines (Amsterdam, Skopje, Vienna, Zurich)
* Montenegro Airlines (Tivat)
* Sun d'Or International Airlines (Tel Aviv)

Concession

Macedonia intends to privatise its two commercial airports in a bid to modernise and expand their facilities. Advertisements both in local and international newspapers will be published in order to attract investors. Macedonia will offer a twenty year concession for the airports and the successful company will be expected to modernise the infrastructure at both airports and expand the runway at Skopje. The Macedonian Transport Ministry says this has the potential to radically increase the frequency of passengers at the terminals.In addition to the concession for the two existing airports, the chosen company will also have to participate in the construction of a third airport intended for cargo transport near the eastern Macedonian town of Stip. [ [http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/8269/ BalkanInsight.com - Macedonia Seeks To Modernise Airports ] ]

Facilities and Services

This airport has small traffic capacity. The apron can accommodate up to 9 aircraft and the terminal is equipped to handle up to 300 000 passengers annually. MAT Macedonian Airlines, Helvetic Airways and Adria Airways are among the few airline companies operating to and from St. Paul the Apostle Airport.

The main purpose of St. Paul the Apostle Airport is to serve as an alternative to Alexander the Great Airport at Skopje and cater to flights bringing in tourists destined for Ohrid.

Among other concessions the terminal building encompasses an information desk, a restaurant, a duty-free shop, and a VIP lounge.

Recent Renovations

The last runway reconstruction was performed in 2004, when a lightning system, a first category with simple approach lights, was installed. Other features enable takeoff, landing and maneuvering with different types of aircraft. [ [http://www.dgca.gov.mk/?ItemID=8900CF496FDABB4EB2661D9D8799A1FC CAA - Civil Aviation Administration of the Republic of Macedonia ] ]

Accident history

On 20 November 1993 an Avioimpex Yak 42D crashed near the airport. [ [http://www.airsafe.com/events/survivor.htm Fatal Events with a Sole Survivor ] ] The aircraft was on a flight from Geneva, Switzerland to Skopje, but had been diverted to Ohrid due to poor weather conditions.

On final approach the aircraft crashed into the Trojan Hills, that lie in the vicinity. All eight crewmembers and 115 of the 116 passengers perished in the accident. This is among the few air disasters with a sole survivor.

References

External links

* [http://www.airports.com.mk Macedonian Airports Homepage]