Sihanouk International Airport

Sihanouk International Airport (formerly Sihanoukville International Airport; Khmer: អាកាសយានដ្ឋានអន្តរជាតិខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ; French: Aéroport international de Sihanouk) (IATA: KOS, ICAO: VDSV), located 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Sihanoukville City in Sihanoukville Province, is Cambodia's third largest international airport.[2] It is named, like the province itself, after King Norodom Sihanouk. The airport is also known as Kang Keng Airport (Khmer: អាកាសយានដ្ឋានកងកេង). The IATA code KOS is derived from Sihanoukville's alternative name "Kampong Som".[3]

Sihanouk International Airport
អាកាសយានដ្ឋានអន្តរជាតិខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ
Aéroport international de Sihanouk
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCambodia Airports
OperatorVINCI Airports
LocationSihanoukville, Cambodia
Elevation AMSL40 ft / 12 m
Coordinates10°34′48″N 103°38′13″E / 10.58000°N 103.63694°E / 10.58000; 103.63694
Websitekos.cambodia-airports.aero
Map
KOS is located in Cambodia
KOS
KOS
Location of airport in Cambodia
Runways
DirectionLengthSurface
mft
03/213,30010,827Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Passenger movements17,000 Decrease 92%
Aircraft movements654 Decrease 79%
www.vinci-airports.com [1]

History

The airfield was originally constructed in the 1960s with assistance from the Soviet Union.[4] After a long period of dormancy during and after the Khmer Rouge era, the airport formally reopened on 5 January 2007.[5] The runway was extended to a length of 3,300 metres (10,827 ft) in order to accommodate 4E class aircraft. The 2 existing taxiways were widened and a cargo apron for 4E class aircraft was added.[6] However, after the crash of PMTair Flight U4 241 in June 2007 shortly before landing, scheduled passenger flight service to the airport was discontinued until 2011.[7]

Cambodia Angkor Air started a tri-weekly service from Angkor International Airport in Siem Reap on 14 December 2011. The service was further adjusted to continue Phnom Penh as well operating a triangle route Siem Reap-Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh-Siem Reap from the beginning of 31 March 2013. Starting in September 2013, airline will provide a Siem Reap-Sihanoukville route twice daily during the high peak season.

Airfield summary

  • Runway Length: 3,300 metres[8]
  • Runway Width: 40 metres + shoulders
  • Perpendicular Taxiway: 1
  • Number of Stands: 5
  • Navigation Aids and Visual Aids:
    • VOR/DME (KOS 116.00 10°35'22.8N 102°38'31.5)
    • NDB
    • PAPI
    • Meteo
  • Rescue and Firefighting: ICAO Level Cat 5

Airlines and destinations

Sihanouk International Airport main gate.
AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International[9]
AirAsia Cambodia Siem Reap[10]
Cambodia Angkor Air Ho Chi Minh City,[11] Siem Reap[12]

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at KOS airport.See Wikidata query.
YearTotal[13]

Passenger movements

Change%Total

Aircraft movement

Change%
201213,022 349
201319,713 51.38570 63.32
201443,400[14] 120.16998 75.09
201594,630 118.041,853 85.67
2016156,887 65.792,627 41.77
2017338,000[15] 115.45,575 112.2
2018651,000 92.68,274 48.4
20191,680,000 158.117,824 115.4
2020221,000 86.93,151 82.3
202117,000 92654 79

Accidents and incidents

  • On 7 July 1972, a Douglas DC-3 cargo plane of Cambodia Air Commercial registered as XW-PHW overran the runway on landing at Sihanouk International Airport without fatalities but was damaged beyond economic repair.[16]
  • On 25 June 2007, an Antonov An-24 (XU-U4A) operating as PMTair Flight U4 241 en route from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville crashed about five minutes before landing, killing all 22 passengers and crew on board.

See also

References