Hazrat Sultan International Airport (HSIA) (Kazakh: Халықаралық Әзірет Сұлтан Әуежайы / Halyqaralyq Äzıret Sūltan Äuejaiy), commonly known as Türkistan International Airport (IATA: HSA, ICAO: UAIT),[2] is a new greenfield international airport that serves the city of Türkistan (as a replacement for the old Türkistan Airport). The airport is located near the village of Shaga, 16 km (9.9 mi)[1] NE of the centre of Türkistan, the capital of the Türkistan Region (formerly known as South Kazakhstan Region), in the southernmost part of Kazakhstan.
Hazrat Sultan International Airport Türkistan International Airport Halyqaralyq Äzıret Sūltan Äuejaiy (Kazakh) | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Serves | Türkistan, Kazakhstan | ||||||||||
| Location | 16 km (9.9 mi) NE of Türkistan, Türkistan Region, Kazakhstan | ||||||||||
| Opened | 28 September 2020[1] | ||||||||||
| Built | 2019 — 2020 | ||||||||||
| Time zone | ALMT (UTC+06:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 301 m / 989 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 43°18′40″N 068°33′01″E / 43.31111°N 68.55028°E | ||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||
  HSA/UACK Location of the airport in Kazakhstan  HSA/UACK HSA/UACK (West and Central Asia) | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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The construction of the airport started in May 2019,[3] and was completed after one year in 2020 with a cost of around US$160 million.[1] The new airport was constructed within the framework of a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model between Turkish YDA Holding and the Kazakh Government and is compliant with all international standards and implemented using the latest building technologies.[1]
It is the first greenfield airport to be developed in post-communist Kazakhstan, and the 19th commercial airport in the country. The opening ceremony of the new airport took place on the planned date of 28 September 2020.[1] However, the airport was put into operation and ready for deployment in January 2021. Hazrat Sultan International Airport construction can be considered as the fastest airport facility construction in the world.[4] The airport's IATA code, HSA, is derived from the airport's abbreviated name of "Hazrat Sultan Airport".[2]
History
editNaming
editDuring much of the planning and construction phase the new airport was known as Türkıstan International Airport. However, it was later reported that the new airport will be named after «Hazrat Sultan» (meaning Holy Sultan in Kazakh) — which is one of the epithets of Sufi sheikh Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi, author of Divan-i hikmet (“Book of Wisdom”), whose mausoleum is located in Türkıstan.[5]
Construction
editThe airport was constructed as a replacement for the former Türkıstan Airport that is located to the east of the city. Construction work on HSIA airport began in May 2019,[3] and was finalized in 2020, making it the fastest-constructed airport facility in the world.[4][5]
Expected airlines and destinations
editThe first services to operate from the airport was launched by Kazakhstan's carriers to Astana and Almaty and later to other regions of Kazakhstan.[6] Turkish Airlines also plans to launch three to four times weekly Istanbul service in the initial stages, with a possibility of increasing frequency in the future. It is also planned to launch direct flights between Türkıstan and the holy city of Mecca (Makkah) once every two days.[6] Hazrat Sultan International Airport joined Kazakhstan's eleven airports that operate under the open skies aviation regime. The regime, which has been in effect since November 2019, removes restrictions on a number of flights and gives a provision of fifth-degree freedom to foreign airlines[7]
Facilities
editThe airport site is spread over 905 hectares (2,240 acres).[1]
Passenger main terminal
editThe passenger terminal is capable to handle up to three million passengers annually or has a capacity of 450 passengers per hour, and is equipped with a gallery landing with two gates to air-bridges and seven gates to apron buses.[1]
Runway
editThe airport resides at an elevation of 301 metres (988 ft) above mean sea level.[8]
| Direction | Length | Width | Surface | Operational Years | Usage | ILS | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/23 | 10,827 ft 3,300 m |
149 ft 45 m |
Asphalt | 2020 - Current |
Primary runway | Cat. I (both directions) | The new extended runway is 3,300 metres long, with supporting taxiway systems. The runway is equipped with a two-layer gravel mixture and a single-layer gravel steering strip.[9] |
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
editCargo
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul, Macau[15] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Türkistan Unveils New Modern International Airport". astanatimes.com. 29 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Hazrat Sultan International Airport". centreforaviation.com/.
- ^ a b "Prime Minister Askar Mamin visited Türkistan for a working trip". inform.kz. 19 May 2019.
- ^ a b "Türkistan airport constructed in record short term book". kazpravda.kz.
- ^ a b "NAZARBAYEV TOOK PART IN THE OPENING OF THE AIRPORT OF TURKESTAN". atpress.kz.
- ^ a b "New International Airport". economy.kz.
- ^ "Turkestan Unveils New Modern International Airport". ic24.kz.
- ^ "UAIT — TURKISTAN". ans.kz.
- ^ "International airport under construction in Türkıstan". inform.kz. 23 April 2020.
- ^ "JAZEERA AIRWAYS NETWORK EXPANSION FROM LATE-DEC 2022". Aeroroutes. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "» QAZAQ AIR opens flights from Kostanay to Turkestan from 14 January". www.flyqazaq.com. QAZAQ AIR. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ "Qazaq Air Schedules Samarkand June 2024 Launch". AeroRoutes. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ "Turkish Airlines NS24 Intercontinental Network Changes – 31MAR24". AeroRoutes. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launches new route to Turkistan". 8 November 2023.
- ^ Abuova, Nagima (6 May 2024). "Turkish Cargo Launches Flights Between Istanbul and Turkistan". The Astana Times. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
