Liepāja International Airport | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Operator | AVIASABIEDRĪBA "LIEPĀJA" | ||||||||||
Location | Liepāja | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 16 ft / 5 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 56°31′03″N 021°05′49″E / 56.51750°N 21.09694°ECoordinates: 56°31′03″N 021°05′49″E / 56.51750°N 21.09694°E | ||||||||||
Website | www.liepaja-airport.lv | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Location of airport in Latvia | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Liepāja International Airport (IATA: LPX, ICAO: EVLA) is a regional airport in western Latvia which is certified for international air traffic. Unfortunately only in summer period. Along with Riga International Airport and Ventspils Airport, it is one of the three major airports in Latvia.
Liepāja International Airport is 2.7 NM (5.0 km; 3.1 mi) east of Liepāja, 210 km (130 mi) from the capital of Latvia, Riga, and 60 km (37 mi) from the Lithuanian border. The territory of the airport covers 2.2 km2 (0.85 sq mi) and is integrated within the Liepāja Special Economic Zone.
There are currently no commercial flights operating to/from Liepāja Airport. On September 20, 2016 the airport was recertified for handling commercial flights after a gap of 8 years. On December 5, 2016, airBaltic conducted a test flight from Riga to Liepāja using their Bombardier CS300 aircraft. On December 6, 2016, it was announced that they would be conducting a further series of test flights in spring 2017.
Early during the Cold War, the airfield was a Soviet Anti-Air Defense (PVO) base. Its aircraft shot down a U.S. Air Force PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59645 on April 8, 1950.
The airport was closed from 20 September 2014 for infrastructure reconstruction works; re-opening on 25 May 2016 but only for non-commercial traffic; fully operational status planned for September.
Bus route #2 runs between Liepaja International Airport and the city centre.