Naples Airport (IATA: NAP, ICAO: LIRN) (Italian: Aeroporto di Napoli, official name: Ugo Niutta) is the airport serving Naples, Italy. It is located 3.2 NM (5.9 km; 3.7 mi) north-northeast of the city in the Capodichino district of Naples. The airport has two terminal buildings: Terminal 1 is for departing travellers and Terminal 2, located away from the airfield, is used for charter operations. The airport is operated by GE.S.A.C., a corporation partially owned by the British airport company BAA.

Naples, with a metropolitan population of nearly three million is the largest metropolitan area of Europe which does not serve as a hub nor secondary hub of any airline.

The airport management company is fully responsible for managing the airport and co-ordinating and control activities of all the private operators present in the airport. Capodichino hosts some aeronautical industrial activities, like Atitech, Alenia Aeronautica, Aeronavali, Tecnam Costruzioni Aeronautiche. The airport is still today a military air base (Italian Air Force 5° Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul Unit - US Navy Support Base and Air Terminal).

History

The district of Capodichino - in the area known as "Campo di Marte" - hosted in 1910 the first flight exhibitions in Naples. During the First World War, "Campo di Marte" became a military airport in order to defend the town against Austro-Hungarian and German air attacks. Dedicated to Ugo Niutta (an Italian aviator), Capodichino Airport was a military air base during the Fascist Era and Second World War.

During World War II the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces extensively during the Italian Campaign. It was used by the Twelfth Air Force as a combat airfield, which stationed the following units at the airport: 79th Fighter Group (January - May 1944, P-40 Warhawk); 47th Bombardment Group (March - April 1944, A-20 Havoc); 33d Fighter Group (April - May 1944, P-47 Thunderbolt). When the combat units moved out, Air Transport Command used the airport as a major transshipment hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel for the remainder of the war.

Commercial traffic started in 1950. In 1980 GE.S.A.C. ("Gestione Servizi Aeroporto Capodichino") was established to administer the airport; in 1982 it became "Gestione Servizi Aeroporti Campani") and participated in by the City Council, the province of Naples and Alitalia. In 1995 GE.S.A.C. drew up - with BAA assistance - a new master plan, which marked the beginning of a twenty year development plan. After two years (1997) GE.S.A.C. was the first airport management company in Italy to be privatised: BAA acquires 70% of the share package from the City Council and Province of Naples. In 1998 the "Galleria Napoli" opened, a shopping arcade open 365 days a year inside Terminal 1. In 2002 H.R.H. Prince Charles inaugurated the new departure lounge. In March 2003 GE.S.A.C. assumed total management of Naples Airport with a 40 year license valid until 2043.

Facilities

The airport has a single runway (orientation: 06/24 - 2,628 × 45 m (8,622 × 148 ft) - resistance: PCN90/F/B/W/T - assistance: PAPI, ILS) in bituminous conglomerate and concrete, with one taxiway. There is one apron with 29 stands, 9 of which self-maneuvering and the remaining Push Back. The airport is class 4D ICAO and has the classification of military airport opened to commercial air traffic 24 hours/day (closed to charter flights from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am local time).

Statistics

Annual passenger statistics from 2000 through 2008:

• 2000: 4,136,508 passengers (+13%)
• 2001: 4,003,001 passengers (-3,2%)
• 2002: 4,132,874 passengers (+3,2%)
• 2003: 4,587,163 passengers (+11%)
• 2004: 4,632,388 passengers (+1%)
• 2005: 4,588,695 passengers (-0,9%)
• 2006: 5,095,969 passengers (+11,1%)
• 2007: 5,775,838 passengers (+13,3%)
• 2008: 5,642,267 passengers (-2,3%)
• 2009: 5.322.161 passengers (-5,7%)

Airlines and destinations

Transportation

Car

Capodichino is easily accessible from all the city thanks to the exit of the so called "Tangenziale", an urban highway (A56) connecting the city of Naples to metropolitan area and highways to Rome (A1), Salerno (A3) and Bari (A16).

Bus

Bus line 3S and Alibus connect the airport to Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Municipio. Distance airport/centre city is about 7 km (4.3 mi). The airport is also connected to Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, Sorrento, Salerno and Serre.

Taxi

Fixed rates are in use for the main destinations within the city limits of Naples from Airport to: Naples Centre, Molo Beverello (Port), Mergellina (Hydrofoils to Capri and Ischia Islands).

Train

A Metro Station (Line 1 and Metrocampania Nordest) is planned (opening not before end 2011).

Media appearances

Naples Airport is the destination in the "Rome-Naples Airline Run" supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
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