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Ostend–Bruges International Airport

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Airport type
  
Public

Serves
  
Bruges and Ostend

Elevation AMSL
  
13 ft / 4 m

Code
  
OST

Phone
  
+32 59 55 12 11

Owner
  
Flemish Region

Operator
  
Egis Group

Location
  
Ostend, Belgium

Website
  
ost.aero

Elevation
  
13 m

Yearly aircraft movements
  
45,875

Passenger count
  
247,669

Ostend–Bruges International Airport

Address
  
Nieuwpoortsesteenweg 889, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

Similar
  
TUI Belgium nv, Thermae Palace, Kursaal Oostende, Toerisme Oostende, Ostend Hotel

Ostend–Bruges International Airport (Dutch: Internationale Luchthaven Oostende-Brugge) (IATA: OST, ICAO: EBOS), commonly known simply as Ostend Airport (Dutch: Luchthaven Oostende), is an international airport located 2.7 nautical miles (5.0 km; 3.1 mi) south southwest of Ostend, Belgium, near the coast and about 25 km (16 mi) from the city centre of Bruges. Although freight transport is the focus of a large proportion of its activities, the airport is increasingly used for passenger flights, mainly charter and holiday flights organised by tour operators. It is also often used for private business flights.

Contents

Early years

During the Second World War, the German Luftwaffe moved the airfield of Ostend-Stene to a site in the territory of the municipality of Middelkerke, five kilometres southwest of Ostend. It played a major role in the air battle with Britain. After the war, the airport of Raversijde-Middelkerke was turned into an international airport by the Department of Airways which had been established by that time.

In 1992, the ownership of the regional Flemish airport was transferred from the Belgian State to the Flemish Region.

Development since the 2000s

The airport was given a new name: "Ostend–Bruges International Airport".

On 23 May 2003, Mr. Gino Vanspauwen was appointed CEO/Managing Director of Ostend–Bruges International Airport by the Flemish government. He effectively took up his duties on 1 June 2003. The airport was operated by the Department of Mobility and Public Works of the Flemish government. The Flemish Government made an agreement with Egis Group to operate it starting 2014 for a duration of 25 years.

For 2015, Jetairfly began service to a number of new destinations from Ostend. In the summer season of 2015, Jetairfly operated services to a total 20 destinations.

Passenger

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Ostend–Bruges International Airport:

Accidents and incidents

  • On 21 July 1992, Douglas DC-3C LX-DKT of Legend Air was damaged beyond repair when it was blown into Boeing 707 Z-WKV during a storm. As of 28 July 2010, the aircraft was still at Ostend.
  • On 26 July 1997 during an airshow taking place at the airport, a Jordanian stunt pilot, Captain Omar Hani Bilal of the Jordanian Air Force display team, the Royal Jordanian Falcons, was killed when he lost control of his Walter Extra EA300s. His plane crashed at the end of the runway and burst into flames near a Red Cross tent and spectator stands. On the ground, eight were killed and forty injured.

    • References

    Ostend–Bruges International Airport Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA