Lugano Airport (IATA: LUG, ICAO: LSZA) is a regional airport located 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the Swiss city of Lugano, approximately 80 km north of Milan, in the municipalities of Agno, Bioggio and Muzzano. It lies closer to the village of Agno than to Lugano itself, and is sometimes known as Lugano-Agno. Around 200,000 passengers use the airport each year, using some 2,400 flights. There are also limited freight operations, a flying club and flight school. The headquarters of Darwin Airline are located at the airport.
The airport is situated on land owned by the city of Lugano, whilst management is the responsibility of Lugano Airport SA, whose shares are owned by the canton of Ticino (12.5%) and the city (87.5%). The company has 73 employees, and an annual turnover of 10 million Swiss francs.
History
The current location of the airport dates back to 1938, when it opened as a grass field. The first paved runway was laid in 1960, and originally had a length of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and a width of 30 metres (98 ft). Initially managed by private sector companies, the airport was taken over by the Azienda comunale dei trasporti della Città di Lugano, Lugano's municipal transport company, in 1974.
In the early 1980s, the airline Crossair decided to invest in the airport, establishing connections between Lugano and various European cities. In 1985, the runway was extended by 150 metres (490Â ft), and in 1989 a new control tower became operational.
Facilities
Terminal
The airport has a single passenger terminal building, with airline ticket and check-in desks, airport security and customs facilities. There is an air side departure lounge with duty-free shop, bar and snack bar. Boarding of aircraft is on foot across the apron.
An adjacent building to the terminal building houses the ground side airport restaurant and flying club, with outdoor seating under an awning between the two buildings. Other ground side catering and shopping outlets are situated around an adjacent open courtyard.
Runway
The airport has a single, bidirectional runway with an asphalt surface, identified as 01/19. The runway is 1,420 metres (4,660Â ft) long, 30 metres (98Â ft) wide, and 279 metres (915Â ft) above mean sea level. There is no parallel taxiway, and aircraft arrivals and departures often involve backtracking on the runway.
The airport's instrument approach procedure is quite challenging because of its steep angle of descent of 6.65°, more than double the standard approach angle of 3°. This is due to its geographic location in the mouth of a valley.
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines offer regular scheduled and charter flights at Lugano Airport:
The nearest major international airport is Milanâ€"Malpensa Airport in Italy, approx. 65 kilometres (40 mi) to the south.
Ground transportation
Road
The airport is some 6 kilometres (3.7Â mi) from Lugano city centre by road, and a similar distance from the nearest junctions on the A2 motorway. It has both long and short term parking, a taxi rank, and a selection of car hire companies.
Train
A shuttle bus connects the airport with Lugano railway station and city centre, meeting most scheduled flights. Agno railway station is a sign-posted ten-minute walk from the airport, and trains connect to Lugano and Ponte Tresa every 15 minutes on weekdays or 30 minutes at weekends.
See also
- Transport in Switzerland
References
External links
Media related to Lugano-Agno Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Lugano Airport Qualification â€" Information for pilots
- P3 Flyers Ticino aerobatic team based at Lugano Airport
- Accident history for LUG at Aviation Safety Network
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