Every year, 18 million passengers pass through the airport and 154,000 aircraft land here. We are talking about Václav Havel Airport, one of the largest and most important airports in Central Europe. What are the highlights of its past and what does the future hold? We'll tell you in this episode of Live Prague!
What did you not know about Prague Airport?
The first airplane
The very first aircraft to land on the then still grassy runway of Ruzyně Airport was a Douglas DC-2, which flew from Piešt'any. It happened on 5 April 1937 at 9 a.m.
An architectural gem
From the very beginning, the Prague airport was gaining international recognition - not only did more than 100 flights to all of Europe depart from the airport just one year after its creation, but the airport's architect, Adolf Benš, won a gold medal for it at the International Art Exhibition in Paris.
A breakthrough year
1968 was a crucial year for Prague Airport for two reasons. The first was the construction of the North section, which was to contribute to the further development of air transport. The second was the Soviet occupation, which in turn suppressed air transport for two decades.
Post-revolutionary rebirth
After 1989, with the opening of the borders came a new resurrection and the airport began to grow. Terminal 1 was completed in 1997 and Terminal 2 in 2005.
Tenfold growth
How big is Prague Airport? While it was originally about 80 hectares, today it covers about 920 hectares.
At the limit of capacity
Today, runways RWY 06/24 and RWY 12/30 are used for take-offs and landings. In the bustle of activity, you can even see the world's largest transport aircraft - the Airbus A380. However, the unprecedented development of air traffic also means that in 2019 Prague Airport was already at the very limit of its capacity.
Plans for the future
In order to meet the growing demands, the airport is planning to build a new runway and increase its capacity to 35 million passengers per year within 10 years. The apron will also be enlarged and the airport's surroundings will be improved.
What do you think about the plans of Václav Havel Airport? Do you think they are necessary, or are you worried about what they will mean for tourism or transport in Prague? Let us know in the comments!
0:00 History and future of Václav Havel Airport
0:42 The beginnings of Prague Airport
1:44 Who is behind the airport's appearance
1:57 Changes in 1968
2:22 Post-revolutionary developments
2:42 The current appearance of the airport
3:13 Plans for airport expansion
By the way, transportation to the airport is also a chapter in itself. In fact, despite promises, the expressway to the airport is still not finished. Why? We looked at this in a previous video: • Proč stále nemáme vlak...
But not to put Prague's transport at fault, there are a number of interesting and necessary changes in the pipeline. The Smíchov Terminal project is certainly worth mentioning. What will it look like? Take a look: • Smíchovské nádraží ček...
If you're more interested in how Prague is going to tackle its perpetually clogged arterial road, you shouldn't miss the piece dedicated to this thoroughfare: • Magistrála: Zachovat, ...
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Daniel, Lukáš, Honza, Martina, Květa, Ruda