Qabala International Airport () is an airport serving Qabala (also known as Qəbələ or Gabala), the capital of the Gabala district (rayon) in Azerbaijan. The airport was officially opened by President Ilham Aliyev on 17 November 2011.azal.az – Gabala Airport
History The construction of Gabala Airport began in 2011 and was inaugurated in the same year. In the same year, Gabala Airport was granted international status. The airport's first international flight began operating in November 2012. The first international flight was operated by the Russian company Ural Airlines on the Moscow-Gabala route.
In 2020, before the start of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, during joint military exercises between the Azerbaijani and Turkish armies, 6 F-16 fighter jets belonging to the Turkish Air Force were first stationed at Ganja International Airport and then at Gabala Airport. These aircraft continued to remain in Gabala during the war. Although President Ilham Aliyev confirmed in his address to the people that these aircraft were in Azerbaijan, he stated that they did not participate in military operations in Karabakh, and that the F-16 aircraft would protect Azerbaijan if a third party intervened in the war.
Facilities The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 16/34 with an asphalt surface measuring . Runway 16 is equipped with an ILS CAT II, which enables aircraft operations in low ceiling (30 meters) and visibility (350 meters).charts.aero – UBBQ charts
Airlines and destinations
Statistics + Traffic by calendar year. Official ACI Statistics Passengers Change from previous year Aircraft operations Change from previous year Cargo(metric tons) Change from previous year201346,658 N.D. 900 N.D. 327 N.D.201455,651 19.27% 918 2.00% 3 99.08% Source: Airports Council International. World Airport Traffic Reports(Years 2013,Airport Council International's 2013 World Airport Traffic Report and 2014Airport Council International 's 2014 World Airport Traffic Report)
See also
Transport in Azerbaijan List of airports in Azerbaijan
References