Sharjah Airport is the third largest Middle East airfreight hub in cargo tonnage, according to official 2015 statistics from Airports Council International. Ground services company, Sharjah Aviation Services, handled 586,195 tonnes in 2015 – a 16.1% increase year on year. It has one passenger terminal with an area of. Sharjah International Airport is home base of the low-cost carrierAir Arabia. The headquarters of Air Arabia is in the Sharjah Freight Center, on the property of the airport in Sharjah, UAE. The center is an old cargo terminal.
History
The current Sharjah Airport was built in the 1970s and was opened on 31 December 1976. On 20 August 1977 Concorde 202 G-BBDG, which came from Filton and refuelled at Damascus landed at Sharjah Airport. The aircraft also made a short flight display over the city. The BAe party was headed by Sir Geoffrey Tuttle, which received a great welcome, the whole party were also given watches and a few received magnificent swords as well. It replaced RAF Sharjah which was closer to the city and was opened in 1932. It was the first airport in UAE and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, for use by Imperial Airways, and was subsequently used by the RAF until 14 December 1971. The reason for the move was development pressure from the city of Sharjah. The old airport's runway is now part of King Abdul Aziz Street in the city centre. The airport was used by the United States Air Force926th Tactical Fighter Group during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Approximately 450 members of the unit were stationed at the airport, which flew A-10 Thunderbolt IIground attack aircraft during the conflict in late 1990 and early 1991.
Facilities
The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 12/30 with an asphalt surface measuring. Financial services at the airport include banking, ATMs and exchange centres. Founded in 1985, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency is owned by the Sharjah Airport Authority, Government of Sharjah and has 14 branches in the UAE, including one on the first floor of the main terminal at Sharjah Airport. There are two prayer rooms available, one in the transit area of the Arrivals Terminal and the other in the ground floor of the Departures Terminal. In addition to this there are mosques in both the East and West Cargo Terminals 3 and 4.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Sharjah:
On 15 December 1997 a Tupolev Tu-154 from Tajikistan Airlines Flight 3183 crashed on approach to SHJ. Some 13 km from Sharjah the plane ran into terrain and 85 of the 86 occupants died. One of the seven crew members survived the disaster.
On 10 February 2004, Kish Air Flight 7170, operated by a Fokker 50 crashed on approach, killing 43 of its 46 occupants, which consisted of 3 crew and 40 passengers.
On 7 November 2004 a Boeing 747-230 freighter was damaged beyond repair due to an aborted take-off with insufficient runway remaining. None of the four crew were injured. The take-off was aborted after a report of smoke from the tower and hearing a loud bang in the cockpit.
On 21 October 2009, Azza Transport Flight 2241, operated by a Boeing 707–320, crashed on take-off. The flight was only carrying cargo and all six crew members were killed.
