Luxembourg-Findel International Airport Fluchhafe Lëtzebuerg-Findel Aéroport de Luxembourg-Findel Flughafen Luxemburg-Findel
IATA: LUX – ICAO: ELLX
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Luxembourg Airport Authority
Serves		Luxembourg City
Location		Sandweiler, Luxembourg
Hub for		Cargolux Luxair
Elevation AMSL		1,234 ft / 376 m
Coordinates		49°37′24″N 006°12′16″E / 49.62333°N 6.20444°E / 49.62333; 6.20444 (Luxembourg-Findel International Airport)Coordinates: 49°37′24″N 006°12′16″E / 49.62333°N 6.20444°E / 49.62333; 6.20444 (Luxembourg-Findel International Airport)
Website		www.lux-airport.lu
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
06/24	4,000	13,123	Concrete/Asphalt
Statistics (2008)
Aircraft movements			83,141
Passengers			1,696,011
Cargo			787,971.117 tonnes
Source: Belgian AIP at EUROCONTROL Statistics from aeroport.public.lu

Findel Airport (IATA: LUX, ICAO: ELLX) is the main airport in Luxembourg.

It is Luxembourg's only international airport and is the only airport in the country with a paved runway. It is located 3.25 NM (6.02 km; 3.74 mi) away from Luxembourg City.

The airport has two terminals and is completely international as there are no other commercial airports in the country.

Luxair, Luxembourg's international airline and Cargolux, a cargo-only airline, are based out of the airport.

By cargo tonnage, Findel ranked as Europe’s 5th largest and the world’s 23rd in 2008.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo airlines

Landing on runway 06

Terminal A opened in May 2008

History

The airport was originally known as "Sandweiler Airport", and was opened in the 1930s as a small grass airfield with a relatively short, 3400' (1000m) runway.

German use during World War II

Neutral Luxembourg was invaded by Germany on 10 May 1940, and on 21 May, the Luftwaffe assigned Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53), a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter unit to the airport. JG 53 was engaged in combat against the French and British Expeditionary Force in France during the Battle of France in May and June. In additive, Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) also operated Bf 109s from Sandweiler during the Blitzkrieg. JG 52 moved into France on 29 May, however JG 53 remained in Luxembourg until 18 August until moving closer to the English Channel to take part in the Battle of Britain..

Sandweiler Airport remained unused by the Luftwaffe until September 1944, when a reconnaissance unit, Aufklärungsgruppe 123 (AKG 123) was assigned to the airport which flew the Henschel Hs 126, a two-seat reconnaissance and observation aircraft. AKG 123 moved east into Germany after only a few days when the United States Army moved though Luxembourg and cleared the country of the occupying German forces.

Allied use

United States Army combat engineers arrived at Sandweiler in mid September 1944 and performed some minor reconstruction to prepare the airfield for Ninth Air Force combat aircraft. The airfield was designated as Advanced Landing Ground "A-97" Sandweiler and was opened on 18 September. The Ninth Air Force 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group operated a variety of photo-reconnaissance aircraft until 29 October 1944 when they also moved east into Germany.

Sandweiler Airport was used by the Americans for the rest of the war as a transport supply airfield and also to evacuate combat casualties to England. It was returned to Luxembourg control on 15 August 1945.

Incidents and accidents

• On 22 December 1969, Vickers Viscount LX-LGC of Luxair was damaged beyond economic repair when it ran off the runway and the nose wheel collapsed.
• On 6 November 2002, Luxair Flight 9642, Fokker 50 (registration LX-LGB) was flying from Berlin, Germany, and crashed in a field near the village of Niederanven during its final approach to Luxembourg airport. 20 passengers and crew lost their lives, including artist Michel Majerus.
• On 21 January 2010, Cargolux Flight 7933, operated by Boeing 747-400 LX-OCV struck a vehicle on landing. The van suffered major damage and the aircraft sustained a damaged tyre. Three investigations have been launched into the incident.

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
We don't guarantee the information is fresh and accurate. The data may be wrong or outdated.
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