The Island Factor
11 June 2024 | Blog #7
Based on my books “All you need to know about European Airports” and “Remote, small but essential” this time I take a deep dive into a specific characteristic of airports – their location. Throughout this blog, I will have a look at this topic from various perspectives.
Europe (excl. Russia, Turkey, and overseas territories) is served by 550 commercial airports. Each airport therefore offers scheduled flights or charter flights on a regular base whereas tickets for these flights can be purchased by everyone (flight alone or as part of a package deal).
In this blog, I analyze the geographic position of European airports, in specific islands. Remember, in total, it's 550 airports. The countries of Ireland, Iceland, and the UK are not considered as islands. I count the main island as the mainland and any other islands around as islands. Its 134 airports, meaning 25% of all European airports are located on an island.
The top 5 countries hosting the most airports on the islands are:
1. Greece (28)
2. UK (24)
3. Norway (17)
4. Portugal (11)
5. Spain (11).
European islands are known as sunny spots during the summertime, which is why I also want to list the 5 biggest airports (based on the annual volume of passengers handled in the year 2023):
1. Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
2. Las Palmas (LPA)
3. Tenerife South (TFS)
4. Catania (CTA)
5. Larnaca (LCA)
Islands do not always cover only one airport, they can accommodate even a whole multi-airport system. The main reason lies in the topography of islands which would not allow quick access to the main centers of a respective island.
Islands with 2 airports:
· Mainland Island (Shetland Islands): Sumburgh and Lerwick-Tingwall
· Tenerife: Tenerife South and Tenerife North
Islands with 3 airports:
· Sardinia: Alghero, Cagliari, and Olbia
· Crete: Chania, Heraklion, and Sitia
· Cyprus and North Cyprus: Ercan, Larnaca, and Paphos
Islands with 4 airports:
· Sicily: Comiso, Catania, Palermo, and Trapani
· Corsica: Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, and Figari
Another curiosity about airports on European islands is the following:
The shortest scheduled flight in the world connects two European airports on islands: Westray Airport (WRY) and Papa Westray Airport (PPW). The Scottish Island of Papa Westray is relatively small, only covering an area of 9 km2. Fewer than 100 people live on the island. The Scottish Island of Westray covers an area of 47 km2 and has approximately 600 inhabitants.
The destination Westray is just across the sea and only 2.8 km away (which means it is shorter than the usual runway length at larger airports). Therefore, when the wind is favorable, flight time can be less than 2min. Flights to Westray are operated daily using regional turboprop Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft, as is the case with the other services provided
Let me finally explain why airports on islands are so important.
· Ethical Travel: Airports on islands are essential for visiting friends and family, providing a crucial link for maintaining personal relationships.
· Lifeline to the World: They serve as a vital connection to the rest of the world, facilitating global interaction and commerce.
· Medical Supplies: These airports are critical for the timely delivery of medical supplies, ensuring that remote island communities have access to necessary healthcare resources.
· Limited Transportation Options: On many islands, alternative means of transport are either non-existent or highly dependent on weather conditions, making airports the most reliable mode of transportation.
· Remote Locations: Islands are often located in remote areas, making air travel essential for accessibility.
· Tourism: Airports are key to supporting the tourism industry, which is a significant economic driver for many island destinations.
For further information have a look at my books “All you need to know about European Airports” and/or “Remote, small but essential”, both available on Amazon.
Kindly let me know your opinion about this topic.